Sangrur, Oct. 20 -- Paddy farmers in Sangrur and Barnala districts, considered the agriculture heartlands of Malwa belt, are staring at heavy losses this season after incessant rainfall not only flattened fields but also invited multiple infections such as false smut, dwarf virus and discolouration of grain.

The paddy they had sown with hard work for a bumper yield now stands stunted or destroyed, turning farmers' hope into despair.

False smut is a fungal disease that replaces the rice grain with yellow spore balls on the panicle (flowering head), rendering it unfit for consumption or sale.

The dwarf virus, after hampering the plant's growth, dries it out completely, leaving no grain behind. Discolouration too reduces quality and marke...