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Essay on Walnut
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Origin and History of Walnut
- Essay on the Area and Production of Walnut
- Essay on the Importance and Uses of Walnut
- Essay on the Choice of Varieties of Walnut
- Essay on the Insect-Pests of Walnut
- Essay on the Diseases of Walnut
Essay # 1. Origin and History of Walnut:
The walnut (Juglans regia L.) is known by the name of akhrot in greater part of India. It is found in northern parts of the country in temperate zone. The only commercially important is the English or Persian walnut.
Walnut believed to have originated in the region from Persia to Kashmir. The army of Alexander the Great brought it to Europe. The other species of genus Juglans are native to the North and South America, Central China, Manchuria and Japan.
The walnut moved from Italy to Spain, France, Portugal, Germany and to the Southern USSR and went to China from Tibet. It was introduced in England by 1562. In India, walnut remained confined to Kashmir and it appears that it has spread to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand during the past century only.
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2. Area and Production of Walnut:
The major walnut growing countries are China, Iran, USA, Turkey, Ukraine, Mexico, France, India, Romania and Chile. The world production of walnut seed is 3.26 million metric tonnes. China is the largest producer of walnut seeds in the world.
The India, Jammu and Kashmir is principal walnut growing state. The area under walnut cultivation in this state is 83600 hectares yielding 2.25 lakh tonnes nut. It produces about 90 per cent of the total production in India with an average productivity of 2.69 mt per ha. The other walnut growing regions are Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh. The total area under walnut in India is 1.5 lakh hectares with annual production of 2.84 lakh metric tonnes.
Export Potential:
The major importing countries of walnut from India are United Kingdom, Egypt, Netherlands, Germany, USA, China, Australia and Taiwan. India has exported 5295 mt walnut to different countries for the worth of Rs. 200 crores during 2012-13.
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3. Importance and Uses of Walnut:
The walnut is very rich in proteins, fats and minerals and is a concentrated source of energy. It contains good amount of vitamin B6 among all the other nuts. Both immature fruits and green hulls of walnut are very rich sources of ascorbic acid containing about 2- 2.5% and
0.4 – 0.8% on fresh weight basis respectively. Walnut kernel contains 14.8 g protein, 64 g fat, 15.8 g carbohydrates, 2.1 g fibre, 1.9 g ash, 99 mg calcium, 380 mg phosphorus, 450 mg potassium per 100 g.
Immature fruits of walnut can be utilized for preparing various products like pickles, chutneys, marmalades, press juice and syrups. Walnut oil is used for edible purposes, artist’s oil colours, varnishes and soap making. The oil cake being rich in protein is fed to catties.
The fruit has excellent flavour and is mainly consumed as a dry fruit being eaten for table purposes. Kernels are widely used in confectionary and bakery industries in the preparations like cake, pastries, chocolate, candy and ice-cream. Edible oil is extracted from the kernels. The nuts are processed by blanching, slicing, chopping, grinding into paste and butter and combining with other foods.
The kernels are also taken as snacks between regular meals. Walnut shell flour is extensively used as an ingredient in plastic fillers, battery cases, moulding resin forms, industrial tile and as insecticide spreader. The tree yields valuable timber, which is most suitable for carving, making furniture and butts of guns.
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4. Choice of Varieties of Walnut:
All the walnut trees in India are of seedling origin except few seedlings locally named as cultivars. In Jammu and Kashmir, the survey of walnut growing areas was conducted and few promising varieties like Karan and Bulbul were released. Lake English, Drainovsky, Opex Caulchry, Hamdan and Suliman are other varieties grown in different parts of Kashmir.
In Himachal Pradesh some promising selections are recommended to the growers are:
Gobind, Kandhaghat Selection, Tapan, Roopa, Eureka, Placenta, Wilson, Kashmir Budded, Franquette, Kotkhai Solution-1, Partap, Rattan, Kainthala Selection and Laxmi. From Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand, seedling selections such as Chakrata, 2, 4, 6 and 13 have been found promising.
The followings are the important cultivars grown in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand:
i. Payne:
The trees are moderately vigorous. It can be grown in solid blocks because pollen and stigma mature simultaneously. Nut is medium to small and is well sealed. Paper shelled, medium sized kernels, good appearance and excellent in taste. It is a heavy yielder due to fruitfulness of lateral buds.
ii. Franquette:
The trees are large and upright. Nut is small and shell seal is good. Kernel 48 per cent, light coloured and good in quality. The variety matures late.
iii. Lake English:
The trees are medium in size. It is a semi hard shelled variety which yields medium sized nuts regularly. Nut is dull white with light brown kernel. Its separation from hull is easy. Filling and taste are very good.
iv. Serr:
The trees are vigorous but give average yield. The variety is well adapted to warm areas. Kernel 59 per cent, light coloured and good in quality. It is damaged by later spring frosts, codling moth and blight disease.
v. Eureka:
The cracking quality of this variety is good. Nut is medium in size and shell seal is very good. Kernel 50 percent, light brown in colour and excellent in quality.
vi. Placentia:
The trees are small in size. It is an early maturing variety. Nut size is medium and shell seal is good. Kernel is 48 per cent and whitish in colour.
vii. Gobind:
It ripens in the end of September under Kinnaur conditions. Nut size is medium, well filled and thin shelled. Kernel is creamish in colour and good in quality.
viii. Hamdan:
It is precocious and dwarfing in nature. Nut weight is 14 g. Smooth shelled. Nuts are longer than breadth. Shelling percentage is 54.
ix. Wilson:
Nuts of this variety are somewhat flattened. The quality of nut is good. It matures in fall.
x. Partap:
It is a selection from Kotkhai. Nut is large, oblong, weight 24g, smooth surface with light amber colour. It is a semi thin shelled variety. Cracking and shelling quality excellent. Light coloured kernel with excellent taste. Heavy bearer variety
xi. Hensen:
It is a winter hardy variety and well adapted to a wide range of conditions. Self-pollinating. Paper shelled with high kernel percentage.
Neilson, Blackmore, Kotkhai Selection-1, Solding Selection, Suliman, CITH walnut-6, 7 and 8, Tutle 16 and Tutle 31 are other important selections.
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5. Insect-Pests of Walnut:
1. Codling Moth (Cydia Pomonella):
It is found in Ladakh region. Three generations of moth damage the fruits. Its first generation larvae enter the growing fruit through the blossom and cause dropping of immature fruits. The second and third generation of pest enters the nut through the side of the husk.
For its control, synthetic pheromone traps should be installed in May. Spray Diazinon or carbaryl (0.2%) for its control.
2. Indian Gypsy Moth (Lymantria Obfuscata):
It hatched in the month of March. The caterpillars feed on buds and leaves. The pest hides during day under rocks, stones, soil and attacks the foliage after sunset which results into defoliation.
The pest can be effectively checked by applying fenvalerate (0.03%).
3. Walnut Green Aphid (Chromaphis Juglandicola):
They suck sap from the underside of leaves and tender shoots during April to September. Due to severe infestation, leaves fall, kernels shrivel and sooty mould develops on honeydew.
The granules of disulfotan (5%) should be mixed thoroughly in the soil around the tree trunk to check the aphid attack. Spray dimethoate (0.03%) during and May to early June.
4. Walnut Weevil (Alcidodes Porrectirostris):
Its female lays eggs on the fruits. On hatching it feed by boring hole on kernels causing premature fruit drop. The adult weevils emerge from fruits and feed on petioles and tender shoots. The grub kills new shoots upto the old wood.
The pest can be checked by spraying twice carbaryl (0.2%) at 7 days interval. If feasible, spray the trees into quinalphos (0.04%).
5. Leopard Moth (Zeuzera Spp.):
The caterpillar bore into shoots and branches and pupates inside them. The attacked leaves and shoots wilt and die. The moth completes a single life cycle in about 2 years.
Insert cotton-wool soaked in carbon bisulphide, paradichlorobenzene or ethyl acetate in the hole. Seal the holes then with mud.
6. Walnut Blister Mite (Eriophyes Erineus):
It is active from April to October. Suck the sap of leaves, yellow cavities on under surface and blister like swelling on the upper surface of leaves. Leaf size remains small in the nursery plants results stunted growth.
Spray the infested trees with dimethoate (0.02%) or Kalathene (0.05%) at bud swelling stage. Repeat the spray if need arises.
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6. Diseases of Walnut:
1. Anthracnose/Blotch:
It is caused by fungus Gnomonia leptostyla. It is found in Kashmir Valley and symptoms are noted on leaves, young shoots and fruits. Initially small, circular light brown spots develop into large blotches involving a major part of lamina.
Collect and burn the fallen leaves. Spray Bordeaux mixture (4:4:50) or copper oxychloride (250-300 g in 100 litres of water) at the leaf unfolding stage, then after two weeks and at full leaf stage.
2. Die-Back or Canker:
The disease is caused by Glomerella cingulata. The disease is prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand. Irregular dark brown spots appear on leaves which involve the entire leaf causing defoliation. Blighting of twigs is also common and young plant may die.
Spray Mancozeb or copper oxychloride (300 g in 100 litres of water) before rainy season. Repeat the spray if the disease is severe.
3. Walnut Blight:
Its causal organism is Xanthomonas arboricola pv. Juglandis. The disease enters into the tree through stomata, wounds and insect puncture in the presence of free water. The bacteria attack all tissues of leaves, catkins and nuts. Brown and black spots with yellowish green perimeter develop on the leaves. Individual florets die in the distorted infected catkins.
Nuts are dropped due to early infection but shrivelled and become discoloured due to late infection. Rainfall, fog and dew further aggravate the blight problem. The first spray of Bordeaux mixture (2:2: 250) is applied on the opening of first female flower. It should be followed by subsequent sprays of one to two weeks interval.
4. Black Line Disease (Viral):
It is reported in different walnut growing regions in India. The disease can be transmitted through infected pollens, seeds and scion wood. For its control only virus-free scion wood should be used for grafting and budding.
5. Downy Leafspot:
It is caused by Microstroma juglandis. The disease is serious in Kashmir. The white mould appears in geometric patches on the ventral side of leaves which may coalesce turning into large irregular shapes. It can be controlled by spraying twice with bavistin 50 WP (0.03%) in June at an interval of 15 days.
6. Powdery Mildew:
The causal organism of this disease is Phyllactinia roboris. Greyish to white powdery spore mass appears on upper and lower surface of leaves. Spray the trees wettable sulphur (300 g /100 litres of water) or carbendazim fungicide (50 g /100 litres of water)- (i) during the late dormancy (ii) At bud swelling stage (iii) At petal fall and (iv) two weeks later.