By Maryann Gathiuni  |   Writer

1. TUTA ABSOLUTA / TUTA MOTH

Tuta absoluta is an extremely damaging insect pest of tomato plants and fruit that has also been observed to infest other Solanaceae plants.  Tuta absoluta has just been identified as a severe danger to the Kenyan tomato crop.

Tuta absoluta is a difficult pest to eradicate. Chemical control is ineffective due to the nature of the insect's harm and its rapid capacity to generate insecticide-resistant variants. However, with a variety of molecules to alternate, Tuta absoluta is no longer a pain to farmers.

RECOMMENDATION: EMMARON 30SC, FENARI 120SC, T-KAB 300WG, BENOCARB 100SC, ARAGON 220ZC.

2. BLIGHT

Tomato blight is a disease that causes rotting of the foliage and fruit of tomatoes. It is most common in warm (early blight) and wet conditions (late blight). Blight can cause practically entire output loss in specific seasons, especially in susceptible tomato cultivars grown outdoors.

RECOMMENDATION: ORIZOLE 250EC, MASTA GOLD 720WG, KENTHANE 800WP, I-PERION 50WP, TAJIRI 720WP, TOMGOLD 440SC.

3. BLOSSOM END ROT

The lack of calcium in the fruits causes blossom end rot. Calcium deficit lowers cell membrane permeability, resulting in cell swelling, leakage, and membrane structure breakdown. There is also a decrease in new cell proliferation. This results in the distinctive dark, sunken spots.

To protect tomatoes from calcium deficiency, CABOZINC SC is highly recommended.

4. FUSARIUM WILT

Fusarium wilt is one of the most serious tomato diseases in Kenya. Fusarium wilt in tomatoes is caused by a soil-borne fungus that can live continually without a host. A significant number of incidents are related to diseased tomato debris left in the soil. The lower leaves of an infected tomato will begin to yellow.

To control Fusarium wilt effectively soil drenching is advised.

RECOMMENDATION: FOSCAP TOP 250ME.

5. SUCKING PESTS

Tomato leaves, flowers, and fruit are consumed by sucking bugs. Feeding can cause leaf deformation and decreased fruit set. Sucking pests include aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, whitefly, flies, bugs, and mites.

Control of these pests is vital to avoid complete loss of the plant.

The following products are the most recommended for control: ARAGON 220ZC, ACETAK TOP 700WG, and VENDEX 50EC.

By Jasmine Merce  |   Writer

The impact of anthracnose and sucking pests on fruits and plants is catastrophic, lowering agricultural market value. To mitigate the effects of brown lesions and sooty mold shading the crop, an effective cleanser is required. POTA-K is a bio-nutrient fertilizer and a plant soap formulated from potassium salts of fatty acids & and vegetable origin. POTA-K helps maintain a clean leaf surface in order to maximize the plant’s ability to metabolize.

By Jasmine Merce |   Writer

Pesticides help farmers grow more food on less land by protecting crops from devastating weeds, pests and diseases.

Without pesticides, agricultural productivity would decline by over 50 per cent, leading to serious food insecurity and collapse of commercial agriculture in the country.

It is important to note that Kenya happens to be within the tropics, which provides thriving conditions for pests and diseases.

It is, therefore, practically impossible to produce food, fruits and vegetables of commercial quality and quantity without the judicious use of pesticides.

The rise of cancer cases maybe be as a result of many factors, inherent and in our environment, including our diets, heredity, misuse of pesticides but not the pesticides themselves. This needs a more in depth discussion, the need to assess relevant exposure to a substance, its dosage and potency, among other things.

End-users need to follow instructions placed on every product label in Swahili and English. The anticipated implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemical once the review processes are finalized, also seeks to provide additional features on the label.

Farmers should also be urged to use professionally trained spray service providers to not only apply the pesticides safely, but also protect the environment by safely disposing of the empty pesticide containers.