Lahaul and Spiti farmers told how to identify mite disease in apple orchards

Mandi, December 23

Scientists imparted training to farmers at Udaipur in Lahaul and Spiti district yesterday to identify mite disease in its early stage so that they could save their orchards from it by adopting timely treatment of plants.

The Regional Horticulture Research and Training Centre at Mashobra of Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, organised the one-day training camp in Lahaul and Spiti.

Entomologist Dr Sangeeta Sharma provided detailed information to farmers about the identification and symptoms of damage caused by mites in temperate fruits and playhouses. “A mite is a microscopic organism, which continuously sucks juice from leaves. The colour of the leaves fades and fruits remain raw and small in size. The following year, fewer beams are formed and production is severely reduced,” she said

Sangeeta said, “Horticultural mineral oils should be sprayed at the green bud stage to prevent mite eggs from hatching during the winter. If the mite population becomes 6.8 per leaf, insecticides should be sprayed.”

Fruit scientist Dr Neena Chauhan made the farmers aware about irrigation and harvesting of plants.