Advisory issued as crops suffer damage due to hailstorm

Srinagar, May 27: Agriculture Production and Farmer’s Welfare Department has issued an advisory following moderate to heavy hailstorms in different districts of Kashmir which have caused injury and damage to crops like maize, standing vegetable crops and paddy nurseries.
The advisory has been issued jointly by the Chief Agriculture Officer of Srinagar, Budgam, Shopian, Pulwama, Kulgam, Anantnag, Baramulla, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Kupwara.
The advisory said recently moderate to heavy hailstorms has been reported at isolated places of different districts of Kashmir region which has caused injury and damage to crops like maize and standing vegetable crops as well as paddy nurseries.
It noted that the losses to nurseries and vegetable crops primarily include leaf defoliation, leaf tearing and shredding, stem breakage, stem bruising and wounding.
In order to mitigate the damages caused to the vegetables and paddy nurseries, the department has issued recommendations to field staff to be further conveyed to the farmers to avoid any disease development and abiotic stresses in the hail-affected crops.
“Clean debris and remove completely damaged plants from the affected plots. Proper drainage facilities should be provided to avoid water logging and secondary infection of diseases,” the advisory said.
It has suggested to cover exposed roots wherever required and e-transplanting/re-sowing of vegetable and maize/beans earthing of potato to avoid exposure of stolons and tuberlets.
“Spray the hailstorm-affected paddy nurseries with Urea@ 2gm/litre of water. In case of standing vegetable crops foliar application of water-soluble NPK (19:19:19) @ 5gm/litre of water may be carried out,” the advisory said.
“Foliar spray with Carbendazim 12%+ Mancozeb 63% WP @ 2.5gms/litre of water as prophylactic measure against any disease development,” it added.
The heavy hailstorm coupled with a thunderstorm on Thursday afternoon has damaged fruit crops/trees and vegetable crops in different areas of Kashmir.