Assessment of the relative importance of tomato (lycopersicon esculentum mill) pests in Morogoro Tanzania
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Date
2008
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
A study was conducted to investigate tomato pests of relative importance in farmers’ fields
and the effects of management techniques on pests and yields. Biological monitoring of
tomato pests was conducted in Morogoro region, at Kipera and Mlali villages tomato
growers’ fields in Mvomero district from August to November 2006 and on-station field
experiment at Sokoine University of Agriculture Horticulture unit during October 2006 to
February 2007. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used in farmers’ fields.
The treatments were tomato management practices by farmers while five sampling areas
were replications. At On-station field experiment, RCBD in spilt plot with five
replications was used. Two determinate tomato varieties (CALJ and Tanya) were main
factors and seven tomato management techniques including fertilizer, mulching, grower
standard, IPM, check, intercrop with cabbage and spider plants, respectively, formed the
sub factors. Leaf miner, septoria leaf spot and nutsedges were ranked as major pests for
tomato production in the two villages. Farmers’ fields survey indicated that, 70% of
farmers practiced monocropping and 80% depended on purchased seeds. On agrochemical
use, farmers applied fungicides and insecticides 5-8 times per season.
Among
management techniques, mulching and IPM were effective in suppressing sedges
population by 98.9% and 99.6%, respectively. The study also showed significantly
reduced insect pest populations in Grower standard and IPM. Furthermore, the study
indicated that, spider plants attracted more of both insect pests and beneficial insects
compared to tomato monocrop. The study showed that mulching resulted in five times
cumulative yields compared to control. Highest number of damaged fruits was due to
sunny scotch in farmers’ fields and mulching treatments. The study suggests that mulching
and IPM could be used to suppress tomato pests and spider plants could be incorporated
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Mlali Villages, Mvomero District, Morogoro region, Tanzania, Tomato impotance, Pest management