Directorate of Extension S.K. University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar has issued harvesting-related precautionary guidelines in order to maintain safety during crop harvesting.
The SKUAST-K issued the guidelines on September 01 regarding harvesting of fruits like apple, pear, walnut, chestnut and hazel nuts besides nursery operations and harvest precautions.
The guidelines read that apple varieties ready for harvesting include Red Gold, Quince Apple/Queen Apple, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Royal Delicious, Scarlet Siberian, King Pippin, Lal Ambri, Super Chief, King of Pippin, American Apirouge, Fuji and Granny Smith.
“Fruits must be harvested only after ensuring that they have attained characteristic colour of skin, size, flesh and seed colour. Mature fruits generally tend to hold less tightly to trees and as such detach easily,” read the guidelines of SKUAST.
It said in case of apples, random samples should be subjected to starch-iodine test (Using iodine to test for the presence of starch is a common experiment) and starch (an odourless, tasteless white substance occurring widely in plant tissue) rating should be from 2-2.5 on 1-6 rating scale.
“In apples, fruit firmness tests should be done with the help of a pressure tester and fruit pressure should range between 15 to 17 lbs/sq inch. Make sure that fruits do not get any bruises or wounds while harvesting,” said the guidelines.
It said that apples affected with bitter pit should be dipped with 4% Calcium Chloride solution (used for dust control) for ten minutes and should be packed after the moisture is fully wiped off.
Regarding walnut, the SKUAST guidelines said that walnut harvesting should be done only after ensuring that packing tissue of the nuts has turned brown and hull removal is easy.
“Walnuts can be harvested one week before the expected date of harvest. This will hasten the dehiscence process (fruits that split open at the time of maturity are referred to as dehiscent fruits. They open naturally along their line of weakness to shed their seeds) and hulls obtained shall be clear without dark spots,” read the guidelines.
SKUAST has also advised the farmers to collect the walnuts tree-wise and keep them separately as one tree produce. “One tree produce being uniform in quality is always in demand and fetches more price than mixed lot,” it said.
“Do not keep the green walnuts under straw for a long time for hull loosening. Give chemical treatment to green walnut for hull loosening. Do not beat the walnuts with sticks/wooden logs, it leads to breakage of nuts. Use knives during manual dehulling,” said the guidelines.
Regarding chestnut and hazel nuts the guidelines said that the burrs begin to dehisce between mid -September and early October.
“Chestnuts should be picked up daily during the harvest season to minimize fungal infection and growth. Harvest hazelnuts when husks begin to yellow, but before they start dropping,” said the guidelines.
Regarding almond, the SKUAST-K has advised the farmers to improve orchard sanitation and ensure proper aeration (the introduction of air into a material) and drainage in orchards.
“Do not conduct sprayings during high temperatures. Spray should be conducted during evening hours,” the guidelines said.
The SKUAST has also listed precautions that farmers need to take during harvesting including skilled labour should be engaged for picking the fruits.
“For every two picker 1 person should be deployed to collect the field basket. There should be at least two baskets for each picker,” it said.
The guidelines said fingernails of all persons handling fruit should be clipped short to avoid bruising or injury to the fruit with nails.
“The exact size, colour and stage of the maturity of the fruit to be picked must be explained to the pickers when selective picking is desired. Picked fruit should be kept in the shade and shifted to the godown as soon as possible to extract field heat,” it said.
SKUAST guidelines added that two to three pickings at weekly or fortnightly intervals should be carried out on each tree to enable the poorly coloured or small sized fruits to develop to a marketable condition.
