The ‘yellow rust’ pest was identified in Iran’s South Khorasan barberry gardens ten years ago for the first time. Since then, 670 hectares of the gardens have been destroyed due to the pest. “Unfortunately barberry bushes are only insured against natural disasters like thunder strikes, hail, frost, flood, etc and not against pests,” said Javad Ghoncheh, director of the provincial Agriculture Insurance Fund, IRNA reported. The sudden increase in rainfall in the past winter has intensified the problem and led to an increase in the pest, he added. Barberry plays a key role in the livelihoods of the provincial people and is cultivated in more than 14,000 hectares.
