Sangju Agricultural Technology Center urges timely harvest for rice farmers affected by rice blast disease.

Sangju City has recently been experiencing a nationwide phenomenon of rice pre-harvest sprouting due to frequent rainfall, urging local farmers to pay special attention to timely rice harvesting. According to the Sangju Agricultural Technology Center, rice pre-harvest sprouting refers to the phenomenon where rice seeds within the rice ears germinate before harvest due to continuous rainfall, and it is promoted when the average temperature is above 20°C and it rains for three or more days. Furthermore, it was added that rice with pre-harvest sprouting has a significant decrease in "1,000-grain weight," leading to reduced yield, and the degree of pre-harvest sprouting (length of sprouts) greatly lowers the re-sprouting rate and the ratio of perfect grains. Meanwhile, the main rice varieties grown in Sangju City, Ilpoong and Misojinpoong, are mid-season varieties, with the optimal harvest time being about 55 days after heading, but for rice with severe pre-harvest sprouting damage, ...