Author(s):

Suhail Altaf, TR Rather, Sajad Ahmad Rather, Shaheen Kousar and NA Khan

Abstract: An extensive survey of pear orchards in Anantnag, Pulwama and Budgam districts of Kashmir Valley during the months of July-August, 2014 was undertaken to record the status of the disease. During the survey, the disease was predominantly observed on leaves than on fruit with varying degrees of incidence and intensity. On leaves the disease incidence and intensity ranged from 37.78 to 60.00 and 16.55 to 35.93 percent respectively, while, on fruit it ranged from 17.33 to 34.48 and 8.44 to 24.68 percent respectively. The survey conducted in all the three districts reveals that the disease was present in varying degrees of incidence and intensity at all the surveyed areas of the valley. Among the different districts surveyed, on an average the highest leaf and fruit spot incidence of 50.34 and 26.22 percent, respectively, and intensity of 28.44 and 17.33 percent was observed in district Budgam, followed by district Pulwama with an average leaf and fruit disease incidence of 41.47 and 21.98 percent, and intensity of 20.17 and 12.39 percent, respectively. Minimum leaf and fruit spot incidence of 38.69 and 20.88 percent, and intensity of 20.17 and 12.39 percent, respectively, was recorded in district Anantnag. The prevalence of the disease at all the surveyed locations is indicative of the congenial environmental conditions of Kashmir valley for disease development. The higher disease incidence and intensity in district Budgam could probably be attributed to mono crop culture, as the district is leading one in the valley with maximum area under pear cultivation compared to other districts. Moreover, the occurrence of old pear orchards with aged trees in district Budgam seems to have cumulative effect of disease development in these orchards.

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