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Essay on Pear
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Introduction to Pear
- Essay on the Origin and Distribution of Pear
- Essay on the Area and Production of Pear
- Essay on the Importance and Uses of Pear
- Essay on the Plant Protection Measures of Pear
- Essay on the Diseases of Pear
Essay # 1. Introduction to Pear:
Pear is one of the superior temperate fruits having good taste and flavour. In India, pear is largely grown for consumption as a fresh fruit. The cultivation of Japanese pear Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm F. Nakai) has been received a boost as a commercial crop in Northern India and acreage under this fruit crop has been steadily increasing because of its high yield potential and good economic returns.
The pear needs relatively less care due to its hardy nature which enables it to flourish well even on water-logged soils, where most other fruit trees fail to grow. It is also well known for its keeping quality and stands transportation well. Besides local consumption the Patharnakh fruit is transported to distant consuming centres like Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
In the wake of serious problems like ‘Citrus decline’ in citrus fruits, ‘malformation’ and ‘alternate bearing in mango’, pear is the only fruit which offers good prospects, as it is relatively free of any such serious problems. This is one of the main reasons that fruit growers of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are switching on to pear cultivation on a large scale.
Essay # 2. Origin and Distribution of Pear:
Most of the Pyrus species are native to the Northern Hemisphere of the Old World. No species of pears is indigenous to either North or South America or to the continent of Australia. European and West Asian species (Occidental Group) are native to Eastern Europe and South Western Asia, including South Afghanistan, Caucasus and Asia Minor. East and Northern Asian species (The Oriental Group) are native to Eastern Asia, including China, Japan and Manchuria.
Vavilov proposed three centre of origin for cultivated pears i.e., Chinese centre, central asiatic centre and near eastern centre. Zeven and Zhukovsky proposed fourth centre for pear i.e., Siberian centre. Chinese centre comprising the region of north and central China, Japan and Korea. P. pyrifolia, P. ussuriensis, P. betulifolia and P. calleryana originated in this tract.
Central Asiatic centre includes Western Tian-Shan, Pamir Alai, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and north west India. P. communis, P. salicifolia, P. regeli and P. pashia are indigenous sps of this centre. Near eastern centre, comprising Asia minor and Cancasus mountains. P. syriaca and P. caucasus species found in this centre. Siberian centre species are P. communis, P. cordata, P. nivalis and P. salvifolia.
Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm F) Nakai, is the most widely distributed of the Oriental pears, extending over the entire Central and Southern region of China, as well as in Formosa and Japan. The pear (Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm F.) Nakai originated in China, where its culture dates back to 2500-3000 years. It may have been introduced into India from China during the time of Lord Kanishka (120-170-A.D.), who settled some Chinese hostages around village Harsa Chhina (Amritsar district) by them. Its cultivation appears to have spread to other parts of Northern India from this place, but this is only a possibility.
Essay # 3. Area and Production of Pear:
The main pear producing countries in the world are China, Italy, USA, Argentina, Spain, Turkey, South Africa, Netherlands, India and Japan. The total production of pear in the world is 22.5 million metric tonnes. China is producing 16 million metric tonnes of pear annually accounting for 71 per cent of the total production in the world.
In India, pear occupies the second place among temperate fruits both in area and production. Because of the wide range of its adaptability, the cultivation of this fruit has spread to the temperate and sub-tropical regions of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Tarai region of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and South India. The area under pear in India is 48,000 hectares with its annual production of 2.94 lakh tonnes.
The area under pear fruit has been steadily increasing in Punjab State. It ranks next only to citrus, guava and mango. It occupies about 2787 ha with annual production of 6,3040 mt. This fruit is doing very well in the districts of Taran Taran, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala. The pear orchards of sand pear (Patharnakh) are coming up in very hot and arid tracts of South-West Punjab.
Essay # 4. Importance and Uses of Pear:
Pear is very delicious and juicy fruit. It is a rich source of protein and mineral like phosphorus. Ripe fruit of different pear cultivars contains 10.0 to 13.0 per cent total soluble solids and 0.20 to 0.32 per cent acidity. Pear fruit contains protein 0.6%, calcium 8 mg, phosphorus 15 mg and vitamin A 60 I.U. per 100 g of fruit. Sugars, starch and cellulose are the main carbohydrates found in pear fruit. Brix°-acid ratio in Patharnakh is 36:1 in LeConte is 47: 1 and in Baggugosha is 60: 1.
Pear fruits can be used in the preparation of several delicious products such as pear preserve, pear jam, pear chutney, pear juice and canned pear. Pear preserve has attractive amber colour with characteristic flavour. Patharnakh and Kieffer varieties are considered good for canning. The fruits of Punjab Nectar, Punjab Soft and Punjab Gold are suitable for the preparation of RTS, Nectar and Shelf Stable Squash products.
Essay # 5. Plant Protection Measures of Pear:
i. Hairy-Caterpillar (Enproctis Sp):
The gregarious caterpillars first feed on the epidermis of the leaves. The epidermis of the leaves is shelled out with the result that rest of the leaf surface dry up and turn brown. In case of severe infestation, the entire tree may be defoliated. The outer coat of the young fruits is also beaten up as a result of which the attacked portion of the fruit becomes black and hard. As soon as their attack is noticed, collect and destroy the gregariously feeding young caterpillars.
ii. Bark-Eating Caterpillar (Indarbela Quadrinotata Wlk):
Bark-eating caterpillars cause damage by boring hole into the stem and branches and feeding on the bark under the cover of its webbing containing its excreta. The pest is active in neglected orchards.
For the control of this insect, remove webbing and apply kerosene into the holes during September-October and again in January-February. Treat all the alternate host plants in the vicinity.
iii. Aphids (Schiazaphis Sp. and Toxoptera Sp.):
Sometimes cause serious damage to the plants by sucking the cell-sap from the leaves and tender fruits. Aphid attacks the pear as soon as the sprouting starts (February-April). The attack is more severe on semi-soft pear than on hard pear.
They can be controlled by spraying 200 ml Imidacloprid 200 SL or 160 g Thiamethoxam 25 WG in 500 litres of water first at initiation of foliage (2nd fortnight of February), second at full bloom (first fortnight of March) and third at fruit set (2nd fortnight of March) on semi-soft pear. On Patharnakh single spray of any of these insecticides at full bloom (2nd-3rd week of February) is effective.
iv. Spider Mites Eutetranychus Orientalis and Tetranychus Uriticae:
They attack in April- June. Initially yellowish white specks appear on the leaves followed by leaf scorching at premature leaf fall. Infested leaves gather dust.
Apply frequent irrigations during April-June. Remove castor and bhang which are the alternate sources of mites. Spray 1000 ml of Dicofol or Fosmite 30 EC (ethion) or 750 ml of Fenazaquin 10 EC in 500 litres of water/acre as soon as mite population appears on underside of leaves. If need arises, spray can be repeated.
v. Fruit Fly (Bactrocera Dorsalis):
It is a serious pest of pear. Fruits nearing maturity are punctured by the fruit fly for egg laying and the maggots after hatching bore into the fruits thus render the fruits unfit for consumption. Isolated orchards are less infested by fruitfly.
Harvest the ripening fruits and do not allow the ripe fruits on the tree. Regularly collect the fallen fruits from the ground and bury the infested fruits atleast at 60 cm depth. Shallow ploughing immediately after harvest is effective in exposing and killing the pupating larvae/ pupae which are mostly present at 4-6 cm depth.
Spray 1250 ml (0.05%) Sumicidin 20 EC (fenvalerate) in 500 litres of water in the end of June. Repeat the spray at weekly interval if required. Fruits should be harvested on third day after spray. Fix fruit fly traps @ 16 traps acre in the first with of June for the control of fruit flies recharge the traps if required.
Essay # 6. Diseases of Pear:
i. Pear Scab- Venturia Pirina:
Infection appears on young pear shoots. Olive-dark mouldy sports appear, especially on the under-side of the leaf. Later the spot turn grey and necrotic. Similar olive spots develop on the pedicel, calyx and petals. The affected blossoms and petals usually drop. Dark-brown spots are produced on the fruits. The spots join together, become corky and crack.
To check this disease, apply bulky organic manures of the trees. Spray 0.2 per cent Captan at pre-bloom stage when the trees are dormant and continue till petal fall at 10 days interval. Seven or eight sprays may have to be given if the disease persists. Collect and burn or carefully plough under the fallen leaves to minimize ascospore discharge and consequent infection with the disease. Prune the trees to promote good aeration.
ii. Shoot-Fruit Blight and Bark Canker- Botryodiplodia Theobromae and Phoma Glomerata:
Cankers appear on bud scars, wounds, twig stubs or in crotches. Cankers are elliptical, small circular, brown spots appear around a leaf-scar or superficial wound. As the canker enlarges, the centres become sunken with the edges raised above the surrounding healthy bark. The fungus perpetuates itself on the trees in bark cankers.
To control this disease, cankers on the trunk and in the crotches should be removed and the dead bark decorticated along with 2 cm of the healthy bark. All the dead wood and pruning should be destroyed. Cover the wounds with a disinfectant solution and after this apply Bordeaux paste to them. After a week cover the dried paste with Bordeaux paint. The whole operation should be immediately followed by spraying the pruned and canker treated tree with 2:2: 250 Bordeaux mixture. Spray may be repeated in March, June and January.
iii. Root-Rot and Sap-Wood-Rot- Polyporus Palustris, Ganoderma Lacidum, Schizophyllum Commune:
Gummosis of main trunk, limbs and secondary branches occur. The bark and wood of the roots rot and turn brown with white mycelial mat in the crevices. The affected trees begin to show symptoms of wilt, early leaf-fall and increase in fruit-set before collapsing. Rotting of roots leads to toppling over the trees, especially those with bulky tops.
To each full grown tree (4-6 years) apply 10 g Bavistin 50 per cent WP +5 g Vitavax 75 per cent WP mixed in 10 litres of water along the trunk and around the drip area twice-once before the monsoon (April-May) and second after the monsoon (September-October). Immediately after the treatments, apply tight irrigation to the trees. In younger trees, the dose of fungicides should be reduced to half.
Spray Bordeaux mixture or 0.3 per cent copper oxychloride 50% in March and again in June. After the leaf fall again spray with same as in March. Locate the trees showing distress signs.
Avoid deep hoeing to obviate injuries to the roots, through which the fungus attacks. Also avoids growing intercrops which require excessive irrigation during winter. Avoid pilling up of the soil around the trunk of the tree.
iv. Pear Leaf Spot (Phyllosticta Piricola and Altemaria Sp.):
Severe defoliation occurs due to the disease. Leaf spotting is followed by yellowing and dropping of leaves. Spots of different size and shape, brown to dark brown appears on the leaves in June-July. Leaves fall off pre-maturely.
Spray Manozeb 600 g, carbendazim 100 g and Zineb 600 g from the appearance of disease in May-June at three weeks interval one after the other.