200 apple orchardists take part in Kisan Mela

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 20

Over 200 orchardists from Himachal participated in the Apple Day-cum-Kisan Mela organised by the Department of Fruit Science of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, on the campus in the district yesterday.

Dr Ravinder Sharma, Director Research and Nodal Officer of the HP Horticulture Development Project (HDP), talked about initiatives taken under the project. Dr Gobind Singh Jobta, State Nodal Officer of the HDP, said that new high-density plantations on around 5,000 hectares and scientifically-managed orchards on 1,000 hectares would be raised under the project.

Prof Rajeshwar Chandel, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said that the efforts of the scientists had ensured productivity of 42 metric tonnes (MT) per hectare for the fifth year in high-density apple plantations. “This is a substantial jump over the present productivity ranging from 8 MT to 12 MT per hectare,” he added. He urged the scientists to develop strategies to eliminate shortcomings in productivity.

Sharma urged the scientists to study and establish a cost-benefit ratio, including the impact on soil and water, for raising plantations using different agricultural techniques. A field visit to high-density apple plantations raised in 2016 was also organised. The university had planted various varieties such as Jeromine, Red Velox, Red Cap Valtod, Scarlet Spur-II, Super Chief, Gale Gala, Redlum Gala and Auvil Early Fuji grafted on M9 and MM106 rootstock in different spacing and training systems.

Queries of farmers on nutrient management, insects and pests, diseases and overall orchard management were also addressed. The farmers suggested to the scientists that the university literature should be available in Hindi also. They also requested them for sufficient availability of rootstock, besides holding training and pruning camps at different locations.

Dr Dr DP Sharma, Head of Department of Fruit Science, said that along with seedling rootstock, the university would provide over 10,000 grafted plants on clonal rootstock to the farmers this year.

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