{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Yellowing Paddy Leaves? Zinc Deficiency Could Be Behind Khaira Disease, Here's How to Spot and Treat It",
  "summary": "As paddy transplanting picks up this monsoon, fields facing zinc-deficient or alkaline soil are at risk of Khaira disease, which yellows leaves and stunts growth, but a zinc sulphate and urea spray can bring it under control.",
  "content": "Paddy transplanting is running at full pace this monsoon season, and once the fields settle down, farmers will begin applying chemical fertiliser as well as sprays to keep pests and diseases in check. Among the diseases that trouble paddy growers the most at this stage is Khaira disease. It shows up first on the leaves, turning them yellow before they eventually wither, and that stalls the growth of the whole plant. This is exactly why farmers are being urged to start watching their fields closely the moment the seedlings take root, so that the symptoms are caught early and treated before the damage spreads any further.\n\nWhy do paddy leaves start turning yellow?\nKhaira disease is mainly linked to a shortage of nutrients in the soil, and zinc in particular. In several regions, the soil is already deficient in zinc, and that is precisely why symptoms of Khaira disease can appear in a paddy field within just 20 to 25 days of sowing. The risk climbs even higher in fields where the soil is alkaline or carries a heavy calcium content, because such soil makes it difficult for the crop to absorb whatever zinc is available. That combination is also why the disease tends to spread across wide stretches of paddy fields every monsoon, and why farmers who miss the early signs often end up counting significant losses by the time the crop matures.\n\nHow to identify the symptoms of Khaira disease\nOn an infected plant, the leaves first take on a light brown and reddish tinge, which is why catching the disease early matters so much. As the infection progresses, small pale yellow spots begin appearing on the leaves before darkening into a brownish shade. Compared with healthy paddy, a plant affected by Khaira disease stays visibly stunted, and even its roots turn a brownish colour instead of the usual white. Farmers are advised to start treatment the moment any of these signs show up, because once the disease is allowed to progress unchecked, the plant's growth can come to a complete stop and the eventual yield takes a direct hit.\n\nA zinc sulphate spray offers an effective fix\nDr. A.K. Singh, an agricultural scientist posted at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Sultanpur, said that if symptoms of Khaira disease appear in a paddy field, farmers should dissolve 5 kilograms of zinc sulphate together with 20 kilograms of urea in 1,000 litres of water to prepare a solution, and then spray it across the paddy crop calculated at the rate of one hectare. \"Spraying this solution brings down the effect of Khaira disease considerably, and it does not come in the way of the plant's growth,\" Dr. Singh said. He added that farmers who keep an eye on their fields from the very start of transplanting, and who apply this remedy as soon as symptoms appear, stand a much better chance of protecting their paddy crop from serious damage this season.\n\nWhat this means for you\n• Across India: Paddy farmers everywhere need to spot and treat Khaira disease in time, since ignoring it can shrink crop yield and hit farmers' earnings directly.\n• In Sultanpur: Farmers in the district stand to benefit directly from this advice by the scientists at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Sultanpur, who can help them protect their paddy crop from the disease in time.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What is Khaira disease?\nIt is a major paddy disease that affects the plant's leaves, first turning them yellow and eventually causing them to dry out.\n\n2. What causes Khaira disease?\nIt is mainly caused by a zinc deficiency in the soil, especially in fields where the soil is alkaline or has a high calcium content.\n\n3. When do symptoms of Khaira disease first appear?\nIn many areas, symptoms can appear within just 20 to 25 days of sowing the paddy.\n\n4. How can you identify the symptoms of Khaira disease?\nLight yellow spots first appear on the leaves and later turn brownish, the plant stays stunted, and its roots also turn brownish.\n\n5. How is Khaira disease treated?\nFarmers should dissolve 5 kilograms of zinc sulphate and 20 kilograms of urea in 1,000 litres of water and spray it on the paddy crop at the rate of one hectare.\n\n6. Who gave this advice?\nThe advice comes from Dr. A.K. Singh, an agricultural scientist at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Sultanpur.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/national/dhana-ke-kheta-men-patte-pile-hone-lage-hain-yaha-ho-sakata-hai-khaira-roga-aise-karen-pahachana-aura-ilaja-8663",
  "category": "India",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-19",
  "tags": [
    "Khaira disease",
    "paddy farming",
    "zinc sulphate",
    "paddy transplanting",
    "agricultural scientist advice",
    "crop protection"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}