Solan, Feb. 9 -- Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, (Solan) in collaboration with the Himachal Pradesh Department of Horticulture, would launch a week-long awareness drive from February 10 to 16 across major apple-growing districts to tackle the growing threat of foliar diseases in apple orchards.
The campaign will focus on the management of Alternaria leaf spot and Marssonina leaf blotch, which have emerged as serious challenges to apple cultivation in recent years.
These diseases cause premature defoliation, reduction in fruit size and lead to significant losses in yield and quality. Experts note that the humid conditions prevalent in many orchards favour the recurrence of these diseases. In the absence of time...