Pomegranate aphid Aphid, Aphis punicae Symptoms of damage Nymphs and adults suck the sap from leaves,

shoots and fruits Yellowing of leaves Wilting of terminal shoots. Identification of the pest: Pale green, winged and wingless aphids Management Collect and destroy the damaged plant parts Use yellow sticky trap Spray application of dimethoate 25 EC or methyl demeton 30EC at 2ml/lit for effective management this pest Release first instar larva of Chrysoperla carnea @ 15 / flowering branch (four times) at 10 days interval from flower initiation during April

Apple crop and global warming. Apple crop in Kashmir is still safe as global warming effects will come only if we dont amend our ways now. The average height of Kashmir valley 1850 meters, and location are the main plus points. Had it been closer to equator, may be having same height, even then this crop would have

got destroyed by climate change. We are very lucky in that way almighty has given best location and height to this paradise on earth. To prove my point here are the few examples. Himachal Pardesh According to G C Kuniyal, senior scientist at the GB Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Himachal unit at Mohal, "In Kullu valley alone, it's become warmer on an average of 0.9 degree celsius from 1965 to 1998. In 1965, the apple belt was found at a height of 1000m above sea level. Now, it's at 2000m above sea level." Apple, which was grown at Bajaura (1000m) area some years back, can now be found only in Katrain (2000m) near Manali." Warmer climate has made it harder to get a decent crop in the lower and middle elevation belt and apple orchards have shifted to higher altitudes to find a cooler place to grow. Bajoura, located in the lower part of the Kullu valley, produced good quality apples about a few decades ago. Today, there is a general consensus that the lower limit of apples has now reached Raison about 30 kilometers up the valley. Similarly in the Kotgarh region, villages in the middle elevation belt produced some of the finest apples during the 1970s and early 1980s. Today farmers here are struggling to replace their orchards. A similar trend is noticed elsewhere in the state. Japan Most of apple trees have been cultivated in the northern part of temperate zone in Japan, since they are suitable for planting in cold climates. The crops produced in a cold area may be greatly influenced by warming. This study is undertaken to assess the impact of global warming on the production of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) in Japan. The temperature ranges assumed to be appropriate for the cultivation of apple are 6-14C on annual mean temperature and 13-21C on mean temperature from April to October, respectively. It was predicted that the favorable regions to cultivate apples will gradually move northward. All the plains of southern Tohoku in 2040's and central Tohoku 2236 meters above sea level in 2060's will be unfavorable for apple cultivation, while most of regions in Hokkaido 1600 meters above sea level will be suitable by 2060's. Many parts of the current apple producing districts in Japan will be possibly unfavorable by 2060's. Therefore, global warming will greatly affect the cultivation environment of apples in Japan by the middle of the 21st century. Pennsylvania Adams county is the heart of apple growing. Macintosh, Granny Smith, and other popular varieties flourish here. Apples are among several types of fruit which require a certain number of hours of winter chill to properly set fruit. The report notes that between 800 to 1,200 chilling hours are necessary for most types grown in the state. If the higher-emissions scenario continues, only about 50-60% of the winters in the southeastern part of Pennsylvania, including Adams County, would have 1,000 chilling hours by mid-century. By late century, only the northernmost counties would have enough cold hours to produce apples. From here we can predict that apple belts will shift if we dont address this problem of global warming very seriously. we should also make global warming impact assessment teams in

Kashmir to access the trend of rising temperatures so that future strategies should be worked out and new cultivars( low chilling) if to be planted can be properly recognized and trails can be made well in time. Last year from Dec3 to Dec 6 a seminar regarding the introduction of new low chilling varieties was conducted in Himachal and foreign delegates from Newzeland and other countries participated in that.

As a child it was a joy to visit my apple orchard. Planted by my grand father it grew and flourished under the tender care of my father. Today maintaining it has been an uphill task. New trees simply dont survive and older ones are dying fast. This is the story you will hear all over the apple-growing belt of Himachal Pradesh and farmers attribute this to climate change. Over the years, fruit growers in Himachal have observed significant variations in climate. This awareness of climate change is based mainly on the associated impacts on the apple crop especially on blossoming, fruit setting, yield and increased incidences of pests and diseases. Over all the climate is described as being much warmer and people perceive a definite reduction in snowfall over time. Not only has the actual amount of snowfall decreased but changes in timing of snowfall have also been noticed. Snowfall in December and January has become rare and the period of snowfall now extends through the months of February-March. There is also a perception that weather has become more erratic. For example the hottest month is no longer the traditional month of jeth (May-June) but has shifted ahead. Similarly, spring is colder and winters warmer than the usual.

. Apple growers also attribute climate change to the increase in plant diseases and pests and an increasing numbers of sprays are now required for the routine control of pests. As temperature continue to rise and rainfall becomes more erratic, apples are struggling to survive and cope with increasing stream of new pests and diseases. Large orchard owners may well survive this onslaught initially, but it is the small and medium farmers who are a worried lot

Will the rising temperatures wipe out apples in Kullu-Manali areas of Himachal Pradesh? A study conducted by Palampur-based agriculture university suggests that the world renowned Himachal apple may well be affected. Over the next 30 years or so, growing apples may not be possible in this traditional belt comprising Kinnaur, Shimla and Kullu districts, scientists claim. The last three decades have seen a steady rise in temperatures - varying between 0.3 to 1.7 degree celsius - and brought down the chilling hours, required for a good crop, from 1200 hours to 800. Surprisingly, the heat wave has taken a higher toll in upper reaches of the state, they say. "As compared to Sirmaur district, temperature increase in Kullu district has been drastic in the past 25 years," an expert who conducted the study told TOI. "Increasing population, unplanned development and deforestation are some of the factors to be blamed for the warming."

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With growing season getting longer and chilling hours decrease per annum, growers may have to switch to varieties found in USA and other European countries. Kuniyal, too, blames air pollution, rampant forest fires, wanton use of coal and fuelwood for the perishing crop. "There's an urgent need to stop the trend." Deploring the obvious trend, Ashutosh Chauhan, an apple grower from Ratnari in Kotkhai area of Shimla district, claimed, "Obviously, threat of crop failure is looming large. As most of the people here are dependent on apple crop, their livelihood is threatened."

. KOTGARH

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