Retired teacher Jogendra Singh Kanwar has invented a new variety of apple in his garden. Kanwar Red, a new variety of Red Delicious, prepared through natural mutation, reaches full colour about 30 days earlier than the normal variety of apple. As it gets ready ahead of the expected time, it is expected to fetch good prices in the mandis.
Jogendra Singh Kanwar, who hails from Majholi village of Theog, retired from Kathog School in Theog in January 2006, said that in 1961 his father had planted a garden of 80 trees. In 1970, 28 new saplings were planted in the garden. Due to the traditional varieties, the apples did not have good colour or a good shape.
During the 1990 season when apple plucking was in progress, one plant had less colour in the upper branch, but the lower branch had good colour and shape.
Kanwar further said that after a good-quality apple was produced in a branch of the plant, it was taken to Mashobra, the Horticulture Research and Training Center of Horticulture University Nauni, for testing. The scientists checked, but did not show much interest. In 2012, Kanwar realised that a new variety was being produced by a natural mutation in a tree in his garden. In 2014, Jogendra Kanwar took this apple again to Mashobra.
This time, the institute’s assistant director advised him to cut this branch on another tree so that the proper test could be performed. In 2016, the cuttings were followed, after which the scientists from the institute also inspected the garden. Kanwar also wrote to CITH Srinagar (Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture) for the new variety of registration formalities in 2019. However, on 3 September 2021, the CITH team inspected the garden and collected the necessary data.
In December 2021, Jogendra Singh Kanwar was honoured with the title of ‘Progressive Gardener’ by Horticulture University Nauni. Jogendra Singh Kanwar’s Red Delicious Kanwar Red Apple was also displayed in the apple exhibition organised at Mashobra, HRTC of Horticulture University Nauni on 8 August 2022.
There is a lot of discussion among the gardeners about the variety of apples prepared by Kanwar.