Now Reading: Continuous rains trigger secondary apple scab in Shopian
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Continuous rains trigger secondary apple scab in Shopian
Continuous rainfall over the past two weeks has triggered an outbreak of secondary apple scab in several orchards across south Kashmir's Shopian district, raising concerns among growers about the health and quality…
The Story in Brief
Continuous rainfall over the past two weeks has triggered an outbreak of secondary apple scab in several orchards across south Kashmir's Shopian district, raising concerns among growers about the health and quality of this year's crop. The disease has been reported from Devpora, Nagabal, Moolu, and other apple-growing villages. Farmers say prolonged wet weather has created ideal conditions for the fungal infection to spread.
Tariq Ahmad Mir, an apple grower in Aliyalpora village, said the disease has affected orchards in both lower and higher reaches. He warned that waterlogging could lead to root rot and weaken apple trees. Another grower, Ghulam Mohammad, reported necrotic leaf blotch in his orchard. The continuous moisture is causing multiple disease problems this season, reducing fruit quality and increasing management costs.
The Indian Opinion
Some growers and politicians may frame this as a natural disaster beyond anyone's control, while others might blame inadequate weather forecasting or disease management. The truth is that Kashmir's apple economy has long relied on rain-fed orchards, and climate variability is now a recurring challenge. The real test is not the rain itself but how quickly the agriculture department can deploy fungicides and drainage support. Will the government step in with timely sprays and compensation, or will growers be left to absorb the losses alone?
Source: greaterkashmir.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
