Experts emphasize importance of virus-free planting materials to boost temperate fruit production
SRINAGAR: The ICAR-Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture (CITH), Srinagar on Tuesday organized a one-day awareness programme at its old airport field in Rangreth on the “Importance of Production of Healthy Planting Material in Vegetatively Propagated Fruit Crops”. The event aimed to educate participants on the significance of producing high-quality planting materials to enhance the production and productivity of temperate fruits.
The programme featured expert speakers from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi; Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K); the Department of Horticulture, Kashmir; and ICAR-CITH, Srinagar. These experts emphasized the necessity of using healthy, virus-free planting materials to ensure the robustness and yield of fruit crops, officials told Kashmir Reader.
The dignitaries attending the meeting include Dr M.K.Verma Director ICAR-CITH Srinagar, Prof V.K.Baranwal National Professor ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, Dr Susheel K Sharma Senior Scientist, ICAR-IARI New Delhi, ICAR-CITH Srinagar Dr Om C Sharma, HOD Plant Pathology SKUAST-K, Dr Mehraj Ud Din Shah HOD Fruit Science SKUAST-K, Dr Ashaq Pandit Nursery Registration officer, Department of Horticulture, Kashmir, Mohammad Yaseen Malik, NRO Kashmir progressive farmers/nursery growers, Dr Javid Mir Pr. Scientist ICAR-CITH Srinagar, Dr Sajad Un Nabi Scientist (SS)ICAR-CITH, Dr Wasim H Raja Scientist (SS) ICAR-CITH Srinagar. Nursery growers also attended the programme.
In his address, Prof. V.K. Baranwal from ICAR-IARI New Delhi underscored the critical role of quality planting material in the cultivation of temperate fruits. He provided an in-depth overview of the global virus spectrum affecting these crops, stressing the need for rigorous virus testing in nurseries. Prof. Baranwal highlighted that the presence of viruses in planting material can significantly reduce the quality and quantity of fruit production, thus impacting the overall horticultural industry.
Nursery growers participating in the programme discussed the importance of implementing virus testing protocols in their nurseries to ensure the distribution of high-quality, disease-free planting materials. They shared their experiences and the challenges they face in maintaining the health standards of their nurseries.
The programme concluded with a consensus on the need for continuous education and training for nursery growers and horticulturists to adopt best practices in the production of planting materials. This initiative is expected to contribute significantly to the sustainable development of temperate fruit cultivation in the region.
Speaking to Kashmir Reader, Prof. V.K. Baranwal said, “In today’s meeting, we discussed the issue of viruses affecting temperate fruit crops such as apple, pear, and peach. To address this, a programme is being introduced to improve nursery plants, ensuring that farmers receive high-quality plants that provide greater benefits. The Government of India, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, is launching this programme with a budget of 2200 crore rupees this year. Therefore, we conducted an awareness programme here.”
He added, “If there are viruses in the plants and if farmers take preventive measures early on, the effect of the virus is greatly reduced. For other diseases, we can diagnose and treat them to control their spread.”
Speaking to Kashmir Reader, a Scientist at ICAR CITH Rangreth, Sajad Ul Nabi, said, “Today at our CITH Rangreth, an awareness programme was held. Its focus and purpose were on how we can provide disease-free plant material to farmers, as there are many diseases affecting plants nowadays. Our aim was to create awareness among all stakeholders, whether they are at the scientific level, farmers, or nursery growers. We organized an awareness programme here to explain how we can produce quality planting material and ensure it reaches the farmers.”
He said that as part of this initiative, they had invited 2-3 experts from other states, some from SKUAST-Kashmir, and a few from our own ICAR temperate horticulture. “Together, they conducted extensive deliberations on how to produce healthy and high-quality planting material that could be provided to farmers. This was because the current productivity in the region is quite low,” he said. “However, with this quality planting material, there are two types that reach our farmers so that their protection increases, production improves, and their income also increases.”
The scientist added, “Our region mostly depends on crops like apples, walnuts and almonds. Therefore, in this regard, we conducted an awareness program where we brought in experts to explain to stakeholders how to produce this planting material, how to distribute it, and how to ensure it reaches the farmers.”