Advisory on horticultural aspects in the wake of devastation by Cyclones

Cyclones have a devastating effect impact on fruit and vegetable farmers. Advisory to farmers on horticultural aspects in the wake of devastation by Cyclones  are issued by agencies. Some of the tips are provided below. 

Vegetable crops

• For vegetable crops like tomato, brinjal, chilli and cucurbitaceous crops, earthing up and drenching/spraying with fungicide like copper oxychloride @3g/lit may be done to reduce the root exposure and fungal diseases attack. Efforts should be taken up to drain excess water from fields in standing crops.
• The produces like ripe chilli, if in yielding stage may be immediately sun dried at the earliest opportunity to reduce further loss.
• Leafy vegetable produce from fields flooded with off-water may be discarded as these may be heavily contaminated. Slight pruning of damaged branches and apical tips and a growth retardant spray of 500 ppm cycocel may be done may be done to initiate new growth and side branches.
• A Foliar spray of 2% DAP + 1% KCl (MOP) may be done.
• A Foliar spray of 100 ppm salicylic acid may be done for increasing stem reserve utilization under high moisture stress.

Saving and Restoring cyclone-damaged fruit trees

• Excess water from orchards should be drained out by creating channels as soon as possible.
• Partially fallen trees of fruit crops like mango, sapota, mandarin, custard apple, bael, aonla, jackfruit, etc can be rescuedby pruning branches (with machine) and bring them back in standing position with the help of machineries.
• Staking should be provided to the main trunks of recovered plants and sufficient soil should be put around the root zone. Staking should be done in the opposite direction of the pullback to prevent further movement.
• Trees with breakage of the main, primary or secondary branches have to be given a flat cut at breakage points and Bordeaux paste should be applied. Exposed main trunk and branches should be painted with lime to prevent sunburn.
• Fully uprooted or more than 50% uprooted trees are difficult to rescue. In that case replanting should be done.
• After establishment, trees should be fertilized (N 800: P 500: K 800) to promote growth.
• Following a cyclone, due to high amount of root damage the tree stress may result in fruit trees and render them susceptible to diseases, which may be controlled by regular applications of copper fungicide over the 1-2 months following the cyclone.

Source : ICAR-IIHR