DEHRADUN: Around 10,000 apple trees that had stopped giving fruits due to climate change have been given a new lease of life by grafting method in Naugaon, Chakrata and Bageshwar .

Around 247 farmers were benefitted from the project ‘Innovation in Temperate Horticulture for Livelihood Options in Kumaon and Garhwal divisions of Uttarakhand ’ started by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change.

The ministry had roped in Uttarakhand’s Himalayan Action Research Centre (HARC), Himachal Pradesh’s Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology and Kashmir’s Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture (CITH) for the initiative. They are also preparing a high-tech nursery at Magra in Tehri Garhwal under the three-year project.

Kunwar Mahender Singh, secretary of HARC, said, “Around 10,000 apple trees were identified on the basis of environment ministry’s report that many trees in Naugaon, Chakrata and Bageshwar were not giving fruits due to climate change. These were grafted with Jeromine and Pink Lady variants that can grow in low chilling condition. The plants were procured from CITH and orchards under the Himachal Pardesh government for grafting.”

Raj Narayan, scientist with CITH, said that a new plant is grafted on the branch. He added that saplings of walnut and kiwi that are climate resilient and cost effective would be prepared in the Magra nursery of Tehri Garhwal in July and November respectively and distributed to the farmers next year.

A farmer in Bageshwar, Dalveer Singh, said, “I was quite worried as the apple trees in my orchard were not fruiting due to lesser cold winter season over last couple of years. All sorts of treatment failed. Then I contacted people in HARC as well as horticulture department. I am quite happy that the grafted portions have started getting new seeds. It will take another two years for the trees to have fruit.”

Acknowledging the effects of global warming, scientist Shishpal Mehta, said that these grafted apple trees will have much better yield. “In an advanced tissue lab at Naugaon, we are developing virus-free multiple apple saplings that will have faster growth and within three years, these will have dense fruiting. These saplings will be allowed to grow and become hardened in nurseries before supplied to farmers in next six months.”

Another farmer from Chakrata said, “Now we are hopeful that these grafted apple trees will give us good return in near future just like farmers in Himachal Pradesh.”