1Division of Agri-Statistics, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India190025
2Division of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India190025
3ARIS, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India190025
4Division of Veterinary Pathology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India190025
5Institute of Business and Policy Research, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology of Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir, India190025
*e-mail: malikarifbashir5@gmail.com
This study consolidates a two-year seasonal analysis of Venturia inaequalis ascospore dynamics and their meteorological drivers in a temperate Himalayan apple orchard. Using hourly weather observations and weekly ascospore counts during the primary infection period in 2024 and 2025, a consistent rainfall-driven pattern of ascospore release was documented, with peak discharges aligning with mid-April rainfall events. Temperature and relative humidity displayed secondary, supporting roles: warmer temperatures and higher humidity correlated moderately with ascospore abundance, while rainfall exhibited the strongest association (r = 0.82 in 2024 and r = 0.87 in 2025). Inter-annual variability was evident, with 2025 showing higher peak counts and longer spore activity. The findings validate rainfall as the principal environmental trigger for primary inoculum in this Himalayan context and underscore the value of weather-based forecasting to optimize disease management strategies for apple scab.
Apple scab, ascospore release, epidemiology, spore trapping, temperate Himalayas, Venturia inaequalis
