Pulwama, June 20 : Infestation of Apple blotch leafminer is giving a tough time to apple orchardists in various areas of South Kashmir.
Leaf miner, an invasive pest , was first reported during 2020-21 in various apple orchards from South and North Kashmir.
“The pest is gradually moving to newer areas,” apple orchardists told Rising Kashmir.
Mubashir, an apple orchardist from Chitragam village of Shopian district said that the infestation was first reported from Awneera and Durpora areas of Zanapora three years ago.
He said that from these areas the pest moved to the Litter Aglar area of Pulwama and Yaripora belt of Kulgam.
Mubashir, who owns an apple orchard spread on 20 kanals, said that he noticed the pest infestation in his orchard this season for the first time.
“ The pest has infected all the trees in my orchard,” he said.
He put the percentage of infestation in his orchard to around 10 to 30. He informed that the pest has infected orchards of many apple growers in his village.
The apple grower said that they used insecticides which were recommended by experts from SKUAST-K and Horticulture Department Kashmir.
“The pest has been contained to some extent with the insecticide sprays but its subsequent re-emergence remains a challenge for farmers,” he said.
Jehangir Ahmad, another apple orchardist from Litter area of Pulwama, has been reporting the pest infestation in his one kanal of apple orchard for the past three years.
He added that the pest forms a circular blotch on the leaves and eventually destroys them.
He informed that leaf damage affects overall tree health and triggers fruit fall too. He said that despite insecticide sprays it still persists in his orchard. He reported 10 per cent pest infestation in his orchard.
Jehangir believes that the invasive pest moved to their area from the neighbouring Zanapora belt of Shopian.
Many believe that the pest has been imported along with various high density materials used at Advanced Centre for Horticulture Development( ACHD) Zanapora .
Director Extension, SKUAST-K, Dil Mohammad Makhdoomi, said that leaf miner is a researchable issue.
“Leaf miner is under research, Director Extension has to issue an advisory in this regard which was issued before time in February,” he said, adding it is a complete package of practice.
He said that the issue can be redressed with adaptation of the package of practice.
He said that biological traps apart from recommended insecticides help in controlling the pest.
Mohammad Amin, a subject matter expert from Directorate of Horticulture Kashmir said that with insecticides recommended by SKUAST-K 90 per cent disease has been reduced in Zanapora area of Shopian.
He informed that it needs an in-depth study to find out how this pest spread in Kashmir and attributing it to a particular centre is not a correct depiction.
He also added that the disease is quite manageable if farmers take it seriously and stick to adhoc advisory issued by SKUAST-K. He also advised cooperative sprays among apple orchardists to contain the pest.
