Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / NewStats: 3,183,497 members, 7,920,858 topics. Date: Wednesday, 14 August 2024 at 01:44 PM |
Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Agriculture / The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity (2497 Views)
Starting Up My Vegetable Farm Garden From Scratch (ugwu, Tomato, Green-leaf) / Tomato Jos: Mira Metha, Harvard Graduate Who Is A Tomato Farmer In Nigeria / Opinion: Immediate Solution To Tomato Scarcity (2) (3) (4)
The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by Ibkay(m): 1:21pm On May 14, 2016 |
THE PEST BEHIND TOMATO SCARCITY I was at the market with my sister to get some pepper for stew yesterday, but to my greatest surprise, the mallam pointed at a small tray containing 5 pee-wee sized tomatoes and said it goes for #500. I was shocked as this was strange to me cos I rarely visit the market and didn't have any idea how much tomatoes were sold for. My sister told me it had bin like that for a while now and that tomatoes are scarce. This got me thinking. What could be the cause. Could it be the hike in fuel price or is the high dollar to naira exchange rate now affecting tomato? I eventually found the answer to my question few minutes ago, when I was browsing through a topic on the front page. Tuta absoluta is actually the cause of the scarcity. As an agriculturist, I did a little research on the pest that has destroyed almost all the tomato farms in Kano, Jigawa, Plateau, Kastina... And here's what I have so far: Tuta absoluta is a species of moth in family Gelechiidae known by the common names tomato leafminer and South American tomato moth. It is well known as a serious pest of tomato crops in Europe and South America. BIOLOGY The larva feeds voraciously upon tomato plants, producing large galleries in leaves, burrowing in stalks, and consuming apical buds and green and ripe fruits. It is capable of causing a yield loss of 100%. [1] Tomato is the main host plant, but T. absoluta also attacks other crop plants of the nightshade family, including potato, eggplant, pepino and tobacco. [2] It is known from many solanaceous weeds, including Datura stramonium, Lycium chilense, and Solanum nigrum. The adult moth has a wingspan around one centimeter. In favorable weather conditions eight to ten generations can occur in a single year. GLOBAL SPREAD This moth was first known as a tomato pest in many South American countries. In 2006, it was identified in Spain. The following year it was detected in France, Italy, Greece, Malta, Morocco, Algeria and Libya. In 2009, Turkey In 2010. The advance of T. absoluta continued to the east to reach Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Iran. Further advances southward reached Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the rest of the Gulf states. In Africa, T. absoluta moved from Egypt to reach Sudan, South Sudan and Ethiopia from the east and to reach the Senegal from the west. The question however is, how did they get here? Could it be negligence or the lackadaisical attitude of our Quarantine agnets in the country? Finally, how will the pest be controlled now that is has gotten to the economic threshold level. 1 Share
|
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by Olukokosir(m): 1:36pm On May 14, 2016 |
Hmmmm....oga o |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by talktonase(m): 1:39pm On May 14, 2016 |
the pest migrated from daura... |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by Trunaijian: 1:42pm On May 14, 2016 |
This is saddening. Just when the thousands of jobs were about to be created this happens. Conspiracy? We cant rule it out. Carelessness of our quarantine agencies? Maybe Saboteurs? We cant rule it out either Agriculture can be our mainstay in Nigeria. It is possible. Moth or not, we will continue to strive until we get there. 2 Likes |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by Niyeal(m): 1:49pm On May 14, 2016 |
cypermetrin is an ideal organic to control it |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by tayebest(m): 2:06pm On May 14, 2016 |
talktonase: ...and you think your brain is functioning?? 3 Likes |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by talktonase(m): 3:11pm On May 14, 2016 |
tayebest:very well... |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by Ibkay(m): 7:40am On May 15, 2016 |
Niyeal: Observation and control approach from a crop protection and environmental biologist ... Azeez Toheeb on FB. Looking at the biology of the organism, favourable conditions for its growth and reproduction, parts of crop damaged and the damaging stage, and environmental safety; an integrated pest management system should be considered with support from government, research bodies and extension. Using biological control agent against the pest as it would make sense to eradicate the adult that produces so many eggs that develop into larva (the damaging stage). This method has been used in regions with the high occurrence. Utilization of sex pheromones and UV light to attract their males, killing them and stopping them from mating with the females to produce more eggs. Potent chemicals with less adverse effect on the environment could be used too. This may make the pest build resistance overtime. Cultivating resistant varieties is also another good option. Eradication of alternate hosts that carry /sustain the pest till the next season should be ensured, since the pest also attacks other tuber crops. Also, doing away with residues from crops that would help maintain unbroken life cycle of the pest should be done. Physical control could be tedious but it is applicable for small farm with less infestation. Tomatoes can be grown in greenhouse. These approaches would generate meaningful results if combined together. Government should support financially, research bodies should continuing working on ways to eradicate the pest with Eco-friendly methods, and extension should disseminate information to farmers timely and teach on pest management where applicable. 2 Likes |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by janefarms2015: 10:41am On May 15, 2016 |
tayebest:@tayebest, why did u waste ur mb replying people that see nothing good when Nigeria is in the hands progressives? |
Re: The Pest Behind Tomato Scarcity by Ibkay(m): 12:59pm On May 16, 2016 |
Trunaijian: More observations and control methods from another crop protection and env biologist....Awosika Oluwabamise on FB Looking at the biology of the pest, especially the number of days the egg stays before it’s hatched into larvae. The egg stays for 7 days and an average of 260 eggs are laid by a female Leaf miner. 73% of the eggs are laid on leaves, 21% on veins & stems, 5% on sepals and only 1% on fruit (which is the economic part of the Tomato plant). If the eggs are to be targeted, the control measures are mostly directed to the vegetative parts of the plant because they housed 94% of the eggs. The larva has 4 instars and they mine on the mesophyll of the leaf. The control measure should be applied before the instar stage at which they are most deleterious. But as for me, biologically, since we know that Tuta absoluta is a multivoltine insect pest, the control measure should be directed mostly to the female adult that lays those eggs as well as those eggs they laid. Probably, the males could be trapped and sterilized (i.e. make them sterile) so as to prevent them from mating with the females. But how many males can we collect? The method to use in combatting this baleful pest is the subject of concern because several methods has been used and has been proved to be unavailing especially, when it comes to their resistance to chemicals (agro-chemicals). Their resistance to chemicals is as a result of their ability to secrete an enzyme in their system which can break down the chemicals and thereby reduce their potency. Trying to increase the application of these chemicals had proved to be abortive as a result of this enzyme which secretion has been discovered to have been regulated by a special gene in their genome. Therefore, increase in application of chemical will trigger the increase in the degradable enzyme in their system making them to be resistant. Also, the usage of pheromones only has been proved to have a little success in the control of the pest. Moving back to the biological control method, some natural enemies of the leaf miner such Bacillus thuringiensis and two species from genus Trichogramma (T. achaeae and T. urquijoi) has been proved to be effective but the major issue here is that, most of the experiment on these natural enemies were carried out in the green houses, where they can be eliminated after performing their duties. My concern is that, what if these natural enemies are potential pest when used in open field? Therefore, the basis for effective and sustainable management of Tuta absoluta is the integration of cultural, behavioral, biological and chemical control. The Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) in 2014 gave 18 steps of integrated pest management process of controlling T. absoluta. This is done to demote if not eliminate the resistance of the pest to chemicals and also to increase the effectiveness of the use of pheromones and other control measures. So also, Resistance management has been developed, which centered on integration of as many pest management tools as possible, use of insecticides only when needed based on established threshold and rotation of effective insecticide with different Mode of Action (MoA). The use of insecticide with different mode of action is to avoid treating consecutive generation of the target pest with insecticides in the same MoA group, by using a scheme of “MoA treatment windows” which is a period of 30 consecutive days, based on the minimum duration of a single generation of Tuta absoluta. According to the Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Health care which explain the paper published from the department of plant science, college of Agriculture and Environmental science, Adigrat University in Ethiopia, which mention different chemical and biological control measures which have proved to be effective in the control of T. absoluta (a.k.a. Tomato Ebola in Nigeria), also provide a clue on which chemicals and natural enemies to be included in the IPM method described by IRAC. Therefore, if a research has been carried out in a country like Ethiopia, then Nigerian scientists should be on their toes as to what they can do to reduce if possibly eradicate the threat of this pest. Now, let’s look at the government angle. If I could remember, I was privilege to be at the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) at Moor plantation in Ibadan in the year 2013. We were told by one of their staff that the problem we have especially when it comes to the introduction and invasion of foreign pest and diseases on our crops in Nigeria is that the quarantine services (especially Agricultural quarantine) has been manacled by the lack or insufficient finance from the Government and also by restriction they face from our custom services which has taken the total control of how goods (including Agricultural products and materials) come into the country and how they go out. According to the research sponsored by the Virginia Tech, USAID and IPM collaborative Research in predicting the spread of Tuta absoluta in west and central Africa. They clearly stated and show how the pest got into Africa countries including Nigeria. The pest came to Nigeria from Niger Republic probably from Niamey. Establishing effective international quarantine regulations around our borders which will be one of the proper measures in preventing any foreign pest and diseases. Also,establishing national quarantine regulation could be an effective means of curbing this pest and other diseases from spreading among the states. Conclusively, we cannot keep relying on international bodies all the time to provide solutions to our problems. We have to sit down, think and look for proper ways of solving our own problems. Countries like China and North Korea are now working tirelessly to do things their own way. We have to wake up from our sleep. 2 Likes |
(1) (Reply)
Egusi Storage Business : Before You Invest Kindly Take Note ! / Catfish / You Can Have SOLAR POWERED BOREHOLE (water Pumping) Solution Cheap! See How
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 49 |