Srinagar, Feb 20: Apple leaf blotch miner (ALBM), a pest that affects apple trees, has hit orchards in Zainapora area and its adjoining villages in south Kashmir’s Shopian district leaving the farmers worried.
The pest is a type of moth that lays its eggs on leaves of apple trees, and the larvae then burrow into leaves and create mines. These mines can cause significant damage to leaves, affecting the tree’s ability to photosynthesize and ultimately reducing fruit production.
Manzoor Ahmad, a farmer from Zainapora said the pest has been seen in the orchards over the past two years and it destroys the leaves after forming a circular blotch on them.
He said the pest has been reported in villages like Safanagri, Wach, Babapora, Durpora, Zainapora, Muj Marg, Rebban, Kahjapora, Chitragam, Reshipora, Heff, Shirmal etc.
The orchardist said the pest was first reported in Safanagri village and then it spread to the other villages and the farmers are concerned for the damage caused to apple trees.
He said this is for the third straight year when the leaf miner attacked their orchards.
Ghulam Ahmad, another farmer said the horticulture department has given them instructions to use insecticides to kill the pest but some farmers didn’t do it at the proper time.
“We sprayed the orchards six times. We are now helpless. People do the local treatment by removing the pest physically,” he said.
He said pests have direct as well as indirect effects on the fruit. The pest sits in the middle of leaves and makes a shelter and it does not kill even after the sprays.
The farmers appealed to the horticulture department and SKUAST-K to take measures and study the life cycle of the pest that will help to kill it and prevent it from further spreading to save other apple orchards.
Dr Tariq Rasool, Associate Professor Plant Pathology at SKUAST-K, said the pest has been reported in the Zaniapora area some three years back.
“It has created havoc in south Kashmir. It is an insect pest. In winter months, it survives on leaves and the upper part of the roots of apple trees. In March, the insect comes out on the stem. It needs to be cleared from the stem of apple trees as soon as possible,” he said.
Dr Tariq said the pest has reached the villages located at least 10 kilometres away from its epicentre in Zainapora.“The management option available for growers is to destroy it physically.”
He suggests destroying the fallen leaves and the insect overwintering on the tree’s stem. If we do not do it today, then it would disturb us later in the season and affect fruit, he said.
The expert said that once the insect goes inside the leaf then no chemical is able to kill it. “Farmers should also follow the advisories of SKUAST-K issued from time to time in letter and spirit to manage the new menace,” he said.
Another industry expert, Dr Syed Samiullah, who has done Ph.D. in Fruit Science said there are several methods for controlling the ALBM.
“The first step is to monitor the tree for signs of infestation, such as the presence of mines on the leaves. If an infestation is detected, the affected leaves should be removed and destroyed to prevent the larvae from pupating and emerging as adult moths.
Another method of control is the use of insecticides. There are several insecticides available that are effective against the ALBM, including spinosad and abamectin,” he said.
Dr Samiullah however said care must be taken when using insecticides to ensure that they are applied properly and at the appropriate time to be effective.
“One non-chemical method of control is the use of pheromone traps. These traps contain a synthetic version of sex pheromone produced by female ALBM, which attracts male moths to the trap. By trapping and killing male moths, the population of ALBM can be reduced, as fewer eggs will be laid on the tree,” he said.
Notably, SKUAST-K on Monday also issued an advisory for the management of apple leaf blotch miner in the infested apple orchards of Kashmir valley.
It advised farmers to ensure proper sanitation in the vicinity of the orchard and procure disease and pest-free planting material
“Collect fallen leaves, fruits, other debris and destroy them. Scrap loose bark for exposing the pupa from tree trunks followed by its destruction. One spray of cypermethrin 25 EC @ 150 ml/100 litres of water before one week of HMO spray,” it said.
As per the advisory if infestation of the ALBM persists, then spray can be repeated with another insecticide after a gap of 10 days. “The insecticides should not be mixed with any other plant protection chemical or plant nutrients,” the advisory said.
