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Chilling requirement fulfilled, but hailstorm destroyed it all

Unprecedented weather fluctuations have become a cause for concern for the fruit growers of Himachal, where the apple economy alone is pegged at Rs 4,500 crore, as they comprise nearly 49 per cent of the fruit production in the state.

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Ambika Sharma

Unprecedented weather fluctuations have become a cause for concern for the fruit growers of Himachal, where the apple economy alone is pegged at Rs 4,500 crore, as they comprise nearly 49 per cent of the fruit production in the state.

Scientists at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, are consistently involved in devising measures to offset the adverse climatic effect of weather on fruit crops, as they significantly contribute to the state’s GDP.

Adequate winter precipitation in the form of snow fulfilled the chilling requirement of apples and stone fruits leading to good flowering this year, but rain and hailstorm at the flowering time led to a decline in the fruit set in apple crop, particularly at higher elevation. In some apple growing pockets, strong hailstorms have been experienced after fruit set which has caused huge damage to the developing fruits. In most of the apple orchards, severe fruit drop has also been observed immediately after fruit set due to poor pollination and false fruit set.

“Apple and stone fruits are facing the challenges posed by increasing seasonal variability in climate, which are affecting their production and productivity. Climate comprises various factors such as temperature, frost, rainfall, humidity, hail, sunshine and wind. All these factors influence growth, fruiting, productivity and quality of these fruits. Among these, temperature is one of the key factor affecting their cultivation at different phenological stages of the tree i.e. pre-bloom, bloom, fruit set and fruit growth, said Dr JS Chandel, head of the department of fruit sciences, Nauni university.

Most of the apple varieties require 1,000 to 1,200 hours of chilling for bud break and good flowering. The variability in temperature during winter season in recent years has failed to fulfil the chilling requirements, thus adversely affecting flowering and fruiting. Beside temperature, erratic rainfall during fruit growth and development hamper the fruit size and quality due to moisture stress.

“Changes in weather and climate across the globe are a natural phenomenon, but unprecedented and drastic rate of change is a matter of concern and worry for the agrarian community. The rate and frequency of this phenomenon due to global climate change scenario has further aggravated their worries with the current year, too, witnessing such adverse weather conditions,” said Mohan Singh Jhangra, senior scientist(Agromet), department of environmental sciences, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry. Elucidating on climatic changes, Jhangra said: “The mean monthly maximum temperature for December 2018 was recorded 18.1°C, which was 2.2°C lower than the normal for January and for February it was 2.1°C and 2.6°C below normal, thus causing colder and longer intervals.” 

“During January, five western disturbances (WDs) occurred, which led to 73 mm of rainfall, which was 17 mm more than the normal and during February, six WDs caused a total rainfall of 103.1 mm, which was 32 mm more than the normal. On an average, every 4th or 5th day a WD was faced during these two months and they also extended deep in the plains. This led to warmness before the WD and bone chilling cold due to northern chilled winds after the passage of WD. In total, sharp and strong weather fluctuations were experienced under their influences. These weather conditions, which prevailed in mid-March, when the Rabi crops begin to ripen, left the agrarian community worried. The intensive rains, hails, wind storms and fluctuating temperatures have proved detrimental to these crops,” explains Jhangra. 

These equivocal changes and fluctuations in weather pattern have adverse effect not only on human beings, but on fauna and flora as well. The delay in flowering in stone fruits in mid hills is an illustration of this point. Intensive rains, hails, windstorms and fluctuating temperature are adversely affecting the pollination and pollinators in stone and pomes fruits and pod and grains’ development in pea and other vegetables. In mid-hills, the sowing of winter crops and vegetables commenced around October month.

Since the rainfall during October 2018 was 90 per cent below its normal, most of the farmers were unable to sow and undertake transplanting of winter crops due to the lack of soil moisture for field preparation. Many farmers also confided that perhaps these crops are not sown at the level they were done every year. The most affected was the sowing of pea, which is a major winter crop of the mid-hills. The long dry spell has affected the sowing, germination and growth of these crops. The adverse weather conditions also affected sowing, raising of nurseries of the summer crops including tomato, chilly, capsicum, cucurbits and gourds among others. Famers were therefore advised to prepare nurseries in the polyhouses and cover them with polythene sheets if sown in open field.

Ways to mitigate climatic risks

  • Scientists believe that there are several options to mitigate climatic risks in agriculture. This includes increasing access to water, better seed and planting material, nutrient and energy management, weather and market information based agro-advisory services, agriculture insurance, improvement in agro-forestry and grasslands, which should emerge as major priorities for farmers in Himachal. These interventions can significantly improve crop yields, increase input-use efficiency, net farm incomes and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • Dr HC Sharma, Nauni university VC, stressed that the government needs to support research and development initiatives to effectively comprehend the impact of climate change and develop technologies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate variability and global warming on agriculture and agro-forestry-based faming systems. This will in turn improve the food and nutritional security of people in Himachal. The occurrence of hails partially in apple and stone fruits growing area of the state is a very common phenomenon, which causes huge damage to flowers, fruits yield and fruit quality and also affects next year’s crop. In Himachal, apple belts in Narkanda, Kotkhai, Balsan, Kiari, Chirgaon, Maroag, and Rohru in Shimla district, Karsog, Churag and Seri in Mandi district and Ani and Dalash in Kullu district suffer hail attack every year.
  • Dr JS Chandel, head of the department of fruit sciences, Nauni university, while stressing on the need to adopt a host of measures to offset the adverse impact of such weather, insisted on the use of anti-hail nets. “Fungicide protection of injured tissues is necessary immediately after a hailstorm to prevent fungal colonisation of wounds. Sprays to stop diseases need to be applied after the storm. In some cases, replacement of trees is necessary, especially when young trees have significant bark injury,” he said. 

Agriculture highly vulnerable to climatic variability, says expert

  • Dr HC Sharma, Vice-Chancellor, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, said: “PRECIS climatic model has predicted that mean annual rainfall is likely to vary between 1268+225 and 1604+175 mm in Himachal Pradesh. Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Una districts are likely to receive rain with increased intensity. Extreme rain events are expected to increase, while south-eastern parts of the state will experience less rainfall and experience drought-like situation often.

  • The agro-climatic conditions of the state favour the cultivation of temperate and sub-tropical field crops and fruits. However, with 80 per cent of the total cultivated area being rain-fed, the agriculture in Himachal Pradesh is highly vulnerable to climatic variability and is highly dependent on the monsoon rains and winter snowfall. He observed that the annual mean temperature is projected to increase by 1.3-1.9°C between 2021-2050 relative to 1991-2000. Mean annual minimum temperature is also projected to increase by 1.5-1.9°C, which will not only affect crop production, but impact human beings and livestock as well. An overall reduction in glacier area from 2077 sq km to 1628 sq km in Chenab, Parbati and Baspa basins has been observed. Rise in snowline and decrease in snow cover will lead to drier conditions in the plains. Decrease in water availability in the streams and rivers due to decreased snowfall will have serious consequences for agriculture in Himachal. “Fluctuations in apple production (-84% to +58% of normal production) in recent years have led to a perception that climate change has manifested its impact on apple production. Apple productivity will decrease 1 per cent by 2020 and 4 per cent by 2030. Small and marginal farmers will be affected most adversely due to climate change,” said Dr Sharma. 

  • Changes in temperature and precipitation are also leading to early snow melting, degradation of pastures due to declining soil moisture, reduction in local crop diversity and decline in availability of grasses and fodder. There is a change in phenology and composition of the species with resistant, invasive and unpalatable species infesting the pastures and common lands. An adverse social impact of the scarcity of fodder and drying up of the water sources is that it will lead to extra labour and drudgery for women and children. Not only this, increased pressure on forests decreases biodiversity and forest productivity and there is a sharp increase in human-animal conflict thus causing serious damage to crops. 

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