Deriving appropriate pest management technologies for smallholder tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) growers: A case study of Morogoro, Tanzania
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Date
2010
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences
Abstract
The current standard farmer practice for insect pests and disease control in tomatoes is
routine weekly pesticide sprays which are not always required. Field experiments were
conducted at Morogoro, Tanzania to evaluate the effect of seven management practices
(sub plots) on pest incidence and yields during May-September 2007 (normal production
season) and October 2007 - February 2008 (off-season) using two determinate varieties CALJ
and Tanya (main plots) in a RCBD with five replications. Practices involving
intercropping with Vigna unguiculata or Cleome gynandra, application of fertilizer or mulch
were severely infested by insects particularly thrips (Frankinlla occidentalis) which averaged
30 insects/plant at 64 days after transplanting. The standard and integrated pest
management (IPM) practices led to similar low levels of insect pest and disease control
though in the IPM only 3 pesticide sprays were applied compared to 10 for the standard
practice. In the normal season, disease incidences of early blight (Phytophthrora infestans),
late blight (Altenaria solani), leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici) and leaf curl were low (<10%)
except for fertilizer and mulch treatment where incidences were close to 50%. The greatest
fruit damage (>50%) was ascribed to Helicoverpa armigera. Purple nutsedge (Cyperus
rotundus), the most dominant weed, was initially controlled by pre-transplanting
application of Round-upĀ® and mulch suppressed the growth of the dominant broadleaf
weeds Digera muricata (false amaranth); Amaranthus spp (pigweeds) and Commelina
benghalensis (wondering jew). In the normal season, tomato yields with current farmer
practice were highest averaging 18.5 t/ha which was not significantly different (P=0.05)
from mulch application (14 t/ha) followed by IPM (12.1 t/ha). Similarly, in the off-season
crop, yields were highest and similar for mulch and standard practice (4.8 t/ha) followed by
IPM (3.4 t/ha). Farmers selected mulch application and IPM for on-farm demonstration to
verify production costs and benefits.
Description
Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 2010. Vol. 6, Issue 3: 663- 676.
Publication date: 28/04/2010,
Keywords
IPM, Pests, Small holder growers, Tomato