Spider mite infestation poses challenge to apple growers in Shopian’s Zainapora

Shopian, July 13: Apple growers in Zainapora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district are grappling with a severe spider mite infestation that threatens to impact this year’s crop yield.According to Dilawar Ahmad Rather, a local farmer, the pest problem was first noticed last year in isolated pockets across Durpora, Awneera, and Babapora villages of Zainapora. “After we applied miticides, the infestation was largely brought under control,” he said. However, this year, the situation has worsened. Rather explained that the infestation re-emerged with greater intensity, driven by prolonged high temperatures which created favourable conditions for the mite’s proliferation. “Now it has spread beyond the earlier villages to neighbouring areas like Cheramarg and Frisal,” he added.Detailing the pest’s life cycle, Rather said the spider mite typically germinates in the grass before moving onto the apple trees. “It attacks the twigs and leaves, feeding on their green tissues and turning them yellow within days. They also spin fine, silk-like webs under the leaves, each web harbouring thousands of mites,” he said.The scale of the infestation is alarming. “In Awneera alone, orchards spanning thousands of kanals have been affected,” Rather said. Farmers have also observed that the effect of miticides lasts only a few weeks, after which fresh populations of mites reappear. “Now we are forced to use high-intensity miticides to keep the pest in check,” he added.Mubashir Ahmad, an apple farmer from Chitragam, said that their area saw first infestation of the pest during April. This is the second cycle of infestation,” he said, adding that they applied a miticide spray on Sunday to check it. “It is proving very challenging for us to control,” he said. Mohammad Ashraf Wani, President of the Fruit Mandi Shopian, suspects that the source of the infestation might be linked to imported fruit plants. “The imported planting material should ideally undergo a mandatory quarantine period before being distributed to growers. Unfortunately, this protocol is not being strictly enforced,” he said.Chief Horticulture Officer ( CHO) Shopian, Muneer Ahmad Wani, told Rising Kashmir that they will be starting a 14 day programme from Tuesday in Zainapora. “The farmers will be provided comprehensive awareness for management of spider mite and leaf miner infestation in apple,” he said.