Scab, corruption, poor research imperil Kashmir’s apple industry

Srinagar: Emergence of scab and other range of unexpected diseases in many Kashmir apple orchards this year again imperil the critical Rs 10,000 crore apple industry of Kashmir.

Over the last one week or so, Ziraat Times has received innumerable messages from orchardists, backed with photographs and videos, from across Kashmir, questioning the efficacy of sprays and asking for remedies for the newly-emerging problems.

As part of an effort to go to the root cause of these problems and potential solutions, Ziraat Times’ teams engaged with numerous farmers, scientists, agro-chemical companies and climate change experts. In this first part of a series of stories on this subject, we will present some expert views about the root causes of the problem.

1. Introduction of non-native apple varieties in Kashmir

According to horticulture experts, several infectious disease agents, like biotic pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, and mycoplasmas, and non-infectious factors, like abiotic factors such as temperature, moisture, nutrients, soil conditions, and chemicals, usually can cause diseases on Kashmir’s apple trees.

Many of these diseases are new to Kashmir’s ecosystem. But the question is where did they emerge from?

One of the root causes of the emergence of uncontrollable scab and other diseases in Kashmir orchards is attributed to the introduction of a large number of non native and hybrid plant varieties without a systematic plan of quarantine and risk management for invasive, non-native pathogens to the native stock.

Kashmir has no dearth of talented scientists but there is a general view that the academic and government departmental systems do not give them the required space. Favoritism, nepotism and corruption in recruitments and human resource management have created an environment of disincentive for work efficiency for these competent scientists. What experts also worry about is the absence of a strategic vision and coordination between various government agencies, academic institutions and private sector.

A Netherlands-based scientist, who has been associated with several apple development initiatives in Kashmir, while responding to an email questionnaire by Ziraat Times has observed that the initial years of mass introduction of non-native species without a sound plan for invasive and non-native pathogen management were not helpful.

“When in Europe we introduce new plant varieties we undertake in depth research not only on baseline diseases in specific eco systems but also develop various scenarios of introduction of new pathogens and how to control those. Unfortunately, I have not seen such research happening in Kashmir”, the scientist wrote to Ziraat Times, adding that even as academic research happens, that is not the applied research because the agencies involved in introducing new plant varieties and their commercial production do not have access to the findings of that research.

“In ideal conditions academic research is supposed to guide government and private sector programs and their implementation”, he added.

Abdul Mateen, a Srinagar-based scientist, who works overseas agrees. “See some degree of research does happen in our academic institutions but we need far more advanced microscopic research, scenario building and mitigation planning”, Mr Mateen said while speaking to Ziraat Times.

“When all three sectors largely work in isolation how do we expect research knowledge to guide ground level programs?”, says the researcher.

2. Decimation of indigenous varieties

Over the years Kashmir’s indigenous apple varieties like Ambri, Hazratbali, Shireen, Firdous, Delicious, Ambri, Treal, Maharaji, Kesaer and Royal Misri, are almost extinct from the commercial production scale. Experts say that these varieties, being indigenous to Kashmir’s ecosystem, were highly resistant to pathogens. However, once non-native and hybrid varieties got introduced, with barely any research on their genetic improvement and mass nursery production, farmers took to non-native varieties.

“It is a pity that Kashmir has almost completely lost its native stock. In European and North American countries, we take a lot of care in preserving their genetic stocks and making improvements for better productivity and quality”, the Netherlands based scientist further wrote.

Kashmir must have an action plan for productivity and quality improvement of native apple varieties, including commercial scale expansion.

3. Pathogen resistance to existing range of fungicides and pesticides

One of the least-talked about issues in the debate on agro-chemical effectiveness in Kashmir is the resistance of a range of fungi and other pathogens to the popular range of fungicides and pesticides. Like the last year, farmers are reporting emergence of scab in apple trees despite use of the recommended sprays. Farmers, who spoke to Ziraat Times, are wondering why that is so.

“It is like antibiotics resistance among human beings. It is a well known fact that persistent use of antibiotics make several ranges of bacteria resistant to them. Similarly, overuse of the same kind of fungicides and pesticides in Kashmir over the years must have created resistance among several ranges of fungi and other pathogens. The question concerned people in Kashmir should be asking is whether adequate research is being done to understand the nature of this resistance? And what needs to be done to save farmers?”, Jonathan Mike, an expert who has been working on a few high density apple projects in Kashmir, wrote to Ziraat Times.

(This is the first part of a series of investigative stories Ziraat Times is producing on this subject)