Kulgam, Jun 16: Fruit-bearing apple trees in the Kulgam area of south Kashmir have suffered damage due to a leaf miner infestation. The apple farmers are concerned about the season’s output.
According to orchardists, the pest infestation has expanded across the district, causing concern among apple producers.
Apple Leaf Blotch Miner (ALBM) is a disease that causes the pest in the leaves to develop a blotch on them and destroy them, affecting tree productivity.
According to G M Banday, President of the Fruit Growers Association of Kulgam, the leaf Miner has been recorded from the Yaripora belt. The pest had not previously been discovered in Kashmir, but as the HI density has increased, the disease has spread, which scientists dispute.
“The pest infestation, which is mostly found in Yaripora, Kadiyar, and Gudder villages, with a minor presence in Damhal and Hanjipora villages, is causing damage to apple tree leaves. The pests cause harm to the leaves, eventually destroying them. However, no direct damage to fruits has been detected thus far,” Banday added.
He stated that the pest was not as prevalent the previous year, but that its presence this year is significantly greater and has harmed the apple trees.
Showkat Ahmad, Horticulture Development Officer (HDO) Yaripora said, the pest infestation was initially recorded in Zainapora and now expanded to other locations. We received information regarding its existence in Hangalbush, Batapora, Katapora, and Yaripora in the regions that connect its boundary with Zainapora. This year, though, it has expanded its reach.
“We are making efforts to reach out to apple farmers. The advisories from the department and SKUAST our field representatives are ensuring that they reach all orchardists. However, if I believe that spraying one insecticide is sufficient to manage or vanish the pest, it’s not possible,” he said.
He said that the pest (leaf miner) has evolved and because of its overlapping generations, we take more precautions to manage the pest. The aphid and San Jose scale pests were different and vanished with a single treatment. However, greater efforts are needed to prevent Leaf Miner from causing harm to apple trees, he noted.
He said, we need to adopt a comprehensive integrated strategy on a community basis throughout the year to manage the pest successfully.
