Pulwama, Sept 14: The ongoing heat wave amidst a deficit rainfall from more than the past two months has triggered sun burns in traditional varieties of apple across different areas of Kashmir.
Mohammad Shafi Dar, a district level subject matter specialist from Horticulture department, told Rising Kashmir that ongoing heat wave amidst a dry spell will have a definite impact on fresh fruits which are yet to be harvested.
He said that the impact will be experienced in terms of depletion in moisture content from the soil which in turn will affect fruit size.
“Trees which are exposed to long hours of direct sunlight will develop sunscald,” he said, adding that they observed sun scars in a delicious variety of apples at many places.
The subject matter expert informed that the lack of moisture content in soil will affect fruit productivity during next season too.
He explained that bud formation for next year’s fruit takes place during this time.
“The moisture deficiency will affect bud formation and flowering and thereby next year’s fruit productivity will be influenced too,” he explained.
The Subject matter expert advised apple growers to ensure irrigation of their apple orchards to minimise damage from the ongoing heat wave.
He also informed that many orchardists had hired unskilled persons for summer pruning of apple trees who have resorted to deep pruning.
“Deep pruning exposes apple crop to sunlight causing sunburns in it,” he said.
Dr Jahangir Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Fruit Sciences, at Shar e Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology Kashmir’s (SKUAST-K’s) Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Malangpora, explained that moisture is essential for fruit development for maintaining cell turgidity.
He explained that high temperature increases the rate of transpiration and from the past two months there is a dry spell in Kashmir.
“The deficiency of moisture in soil causes cell flaccidity which in turn will affect fruit size, shape and quality,” he said.
The fruit scientist advised apple growers to irrigate their orchards from evening till early morning hours as a precautionary measure to minimise damage from the prevailing heat wave.
He said that irrigation during day time should be avoided as it may cause fruit fall.
