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Guava decline in UP: Knotty disease plays havoc with fruit crop, including in Badaun
Guava wilt in Uttar Pradesh worsens due to root-knot nematodes, impacting yields. ICAR launches a plan to restore affected orchards and nurseries.
The long-standing problem of guava wilt in Uttar Pradesh has worsened in recent years due to the spread of root-knot nematodes, a condition in which the roots of infected trees develop knots, due to microscopic multicellular organisms.
This significantly impacts orchard survival and productivity, scientists at the ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Lucknow said on Monday.
According to PK Shukla, department of crop protection, ICAR, “Nematodes were introduced in India with the planting of Thai guava or Taiwan pink guavas in nurseries. From nurseries they spread to new locations.” He added, “These are parasites which attack plant roots after entering the roots, suck cell sap. Thus plant nutrition supply is interrupted and it becomes weak. In a few months the plant may die.”
According to ICAR, while fungal wilt has affected guava crops for decades, the entry of root-knot nematodes into nurseries around 2014–16 aggravated the disease complex. These organisms spread rapidly through the major guava-growing region leading to declining yields and, in many cases, the collapse of newly planted orchards.
The annual yield last year was 45-50 lakh tonnes, while in this season, losses in infected orchards are between 15 and 45%.
Despite awareness campaigns and management efforts, a substantial area under guava cultivation remains affected, officials said. The total area of the guvava belt- including Prayagraj - is around 2.5 lakh hectare.
“To address the issue, ICAR-CISH has launched a targeted intervention under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), focusing on mitigating the guava decline disease complex in identified hotspot areas of Lucknow and Badaun,” said T Damodaran, director, ICAR-CISH.
Badaun is recognised as part of the “guava belt” under the state’s food forest initiative.
“We are making every effort to restore nematode-infected nurseries and orchards using an integrated approach,” added Damodaran. He added that severely affected orchards and nurseries have been adopted for long-term treatment and monitoring (over a period of at least 5 years).
The institute has also urged farmers to reach out for support. Growers can contact scientists for technical guidance and inclusion in the programme.
The management strategy includes soil drenching with nematicide Fluopyram (a chemical compound which kills nematodes with its systemic action. It also acts as fungicide, to some extent), followed by the application of biological agents such as Trichoderma and Bacillus species, either alone or combined with neem cake or compost. Farmers are also advised to avoid intercrops that are susceptible to root-knot nematodes.
“Under the MIDH project, the cost of treatment materials will be borne by the institute, while application will be carried out by farmers under the supervision of trained professionals,” said the institute in its statement.
Officials said the initiative aims to gradually reclaim infected orchards and stabilise guava production in the state.
