In Himachal Pradesh, the apple season has been marred by an outbreak of Alternaria disease, impacting up to 95 percent of apple plants in key areas such as Rohru, Kotkhai, Jubbal, Chopal, and Theog. This was discovered after inspections by Dr. YS Parmar Horticulture and Forestry University Nauni.
Alternaria, which causes brown and black spots on apples, leads to premature fruit drop. Symptoms initiate on the leaves, evolving from circular dark green spots to brown and dark brown, culminating in leaf fall and compromised fruit quality.
Dr. Sanjay Chauhan from the Horticulture Department highlighted, "Alternaria disease is very fatal for apples. The leaves will fall from the apple plant even before the apple is harvested, leading to completely spoiled fruit." Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Shimla's investigations in about 20 villages identified varying infection rates, with severity in leaf disease reaching 56.3 percent in some locales. Dr. Usha Verma of KVK Rohru pointed to low rainfall and high mite populations as contributing factors, while Dr. Aarti Shukla and Dr. Shalini Verma noted the role of improper chemical spray use and fertilizer application in exacerbating the disease's spread.
Source: thenewshimachal.com