Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jan 16 Amid ongoing dry spell in the Kashmir valley, the Directorate of Research— Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST) has issued an advisory for orchardists and farmers.
According to the advisory, available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Apple, Almond and Apricot orchardists have been asked to avoid pruning of orchards, saying that it may lead to freezing injury of the cut ends and may activate buds leading to sprouting.
“Avoid irrigation as it may lead to root damage due to freezing & may activate sprouting. Maintain sanitation of orchards. Remove all twigs & fruit from the orchard and bury them deep in soil. Perform bur lapping if not done so far on tree trunks,” the advisory reads.
For field crops like oil seeds, wheat, peas and oats, the advisory has asked for thinning of brown sarsoon crop, use of organic mulch & field sanitations and to install yellow sticky trap 10 mt apart.
Following the isolated reports of vegetable crop damage, the advisory has asked to maintain weed free conditions in all standing crops to avoid competition for moisture.
“Use organic/ inorganic mulch wherever possible. Surface scrapping to facilitate aeration & moisture conservation. Apply shallow irrigation only if needed critically & that too during day,” reads the advisory—(KNO)
