Himachal Pradesh's Apples Hit By Disease

Apples, the prized agricultural produce of the hill state of Himachal Pradesh has been hit by a disease that has left the growers worried. This season the apple crop being hit by Alternaria or Foliar disease comes as a double whammy for the horticulturists of this state, as the produce of the season was already hit because of a dry winter.

Though the exact spread of the disease and its impact is yet to be quantified, the fruit growers say that the spread is impacting almost 40% of the apple orchards and can also impact the apple produce this year.

“We are discussing with the government how to tackle the problem with the growers, scientists and administration joining hands. It is not that the spread of the disease cannot be tackled.

“We have the example from 1983 to 1985 when the crop was hit by scab which is also a fungal disease and together the problem was overcome,” Harish Chauhan of Sanyukta Kisan Manch told this reporter.

The growers are awaiting a detailed analysis of the scenario from the teams of scientists from Dr Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry at Solan who have been conducting field visits to the areas hit by the disease.

After a disaster marked by excessive rainfall last year, the state experienced a dry winter, followed by a monsoon that has taken a break. The humidity levels have been high with very little precipitation over the last few weeks.

“We have a scenario where the size and colour of the fruit has been impacted. This also translates into the quality of the fruit being impacted,” Chauhan added.

Those well versed with the apple growing practices in the areas known as the apple belt, also point out that certain practices that have been resorted to by the horticulturists over the last few years also need to be taken into account. These include the increased use of high residue medicine along with plant growth regulators that have an impact on the immunity of the plants.

Amplifying the concerns of apple growers in the state, Theog legislator and senior Congress leader Kuldeep Singh Rathore has demanded that the disease be declared an ‘epidemic’. He has also suggested that help be taken from the central government to mitigate the problem and prevent the disease.

“Clouds of danger are looming over the apple economy of Himachal Pradesh worth Rs 5000 crore. Apple orchards have come under the grip of a disease called Alternaria which is directly affecting the size and colour of apples.

“Apple leaves are falling prematurely due to which the orchardists of the state are quite worried,” he said in an interaction with the media persons.

Rathore said that Alternaria disease has taken the form of an epidemic in many areas of the state. According to him, in some areas, 95% of the orchards have been affected by the disease.

He added that the government should understand the seriousness and take steps to prevent Alternaria disease and also raise the issue with the Centre.

“Although the Horticulture Department has sent teams, research is also needed to eradicate this disease from its roots. Questions are also being raised on the quality of medicines available in the market.

“This should also be monitored. Apart from this, apple plants being imported from abroad are also under suspicion,” Rathore added.

He added that apples are already becoming a loss-making deal in Himachal Pradesh and in such a situation their production will become extremely difficult due to the spread of diseases.

Meanwhile, the Department of Plant Pathology at Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry at Nauni in Solan has issued an advisory to the apple farmers to effectively manage the apple foliar diseases reported from some areas of the state.

Three teams of the scientists had recently visited the apple orchards in Deha, Chambi, Khagna-Roo, Mandal, Deiya, Bhanal and Kiyar villages of Chaupal; Sheikhal, Dhara, Kamoli, Samoli, Karalash, Kharla and Kadiyon villages of Rohru; Bhadaich, Matlu, Bagi, Sheglta, Ratnari, Panog, Badeiyon, Jashla and Deyorighat of Kotkhai along with Nandpur, Ruyildhar, Kathasu and Batargalu of Jubbal in the apple growing Shimla district.

“The primary objective was to assess the prevalence of Alternaria leaf spot or blight and other leaf spot diseases, and to conduct awareness camps for farmers, and provide guidance on effective management strategies. Visual assessments of plant health, leaf symptom identification, and disease severity estimation were carried out.

“Additionally, awareness camps were organised in Kotkhai, Jubbal and Deha to disseminate information on disease management practices,” said a spokesperson of the University.

“Alternaria and other fungal species were identified as the primary causal agent of these leaf spot or blight disease based on observed symptoms and microscopic observations. The disease exhibited a widespread distribution, recording variable levels of average disease severity in different orchards,” he added.

The University has listed certain causes for disease. Primary among them is the adverse climate conditions followed by high mite population contributing to overall tree stress and exacerbating leaf spot disease development.

The experts have also pointed at the imbalances in crop management while underlining the non-judicious use of chemical sprays, including the mixing of nutrients, insecticides, and fungicides that has led to phyto-toxicity and weakened plant health with an increasing susceptibility to disease.

They have also underlined the pre-existing plant stress and pointed out that underlying conditions such as root rot, collar rot and canker weaken tree vigour, making them more susceptible to leaf spot infections.

The advisory issued to the growers entails enhancing air circulation through proper pruning, removal of weeds, grasses and infected plant debris from the orchard floor and managing soil moisture levels.

Appropriate fertilisation to promote overall plant health and disease resistance has been suggested along with judicious use of fungicides and insecticides. This includes adherence to recommended dosages and spray intervals.

The growers have been also asked to investigate and implement alternative or complementary management strategies, such as regenerative farming or natural farming practices to improve soil health, moisture retention along with disease, insect, pest and weed control.

While laying emphasis on consistent surveillance, the growers have been asked to lay emphasis on effective management of root rot, collar rot, and canker.

The farmers in the state are already grappling with the competition coming from the apple imports. They have been demanding an import duty of 100% on the apples coming from various countries. Right now a lot of apples are coming from South Africa.

“You can easily find last year’s apple crop from cold storages being sold right now. This means that this crop had to be stored as it could not be sold all this while and you have another harvest season at hand.

“Our contention is that if you can have a 105% import duty on tea why not on apples. Why treat tea differently as an industry and point out at the World Trade Organization (WTO) norms for the apple growers?” Chauhan asked.

The ongoing apple season is going to be a rugged one given the fact that farm issues are already taking a centre stage in Indian politics.