Tomato curly top virus
By Ann Macharia
Tomatoes is one of the significant vegetable crops that is planted in large areas of Kajiado County, among other crops such as kales, cabbages, spinach, watermelon.
The environment is conducive to the growth of the vegetables, mainly due to the hot weather condition experienced in the locality. For a long time, the tomatoes farmers have had a challenge with the Tuta absoluta- the tomato leaf miner, especially during the warm weather conditions when the multiplication rate is very high.
Most farmers are now aware of the pest and are working hard to eliminate and control the pest as they increase production. It comes to another blow to the tomatoes farmers due to an alarming disease that is spreading at a very high rate.
Farmers have gone viral on the social Media posting the images of the disease and lamenting how it is affecting the tomatoes production in a significant way. A farmer lamented on how he had lost 60 %of his output.
The disease manifests itself as wilting in tomatoes, which one may confuse as an increase in temperatures or lack of water. It’s a common virus disease affecting the tomatoes, beans, peppers, and mimics the symptoms of moisture stress.
The leaves curl and turn purple, and one may quickly think of its phosphorus deficiency. The disease also results in stunted growth. All these are symptoms of Tomato Curly Top Virus.
The diseases easily confuse the farmers with nutrient deficiency as it causes the plant to have a slow growth rate, especially on the leaves, which also curls lowering the process of photosynthesis. As the leaves curl, they become thickened and stiff. Some fruits fail to develop while others develop deformed shapes, and sometimes the fruits produced ripen prematurely. When young plants are infected, they could quickly die shortly after the infection.
For one to differentiate wilting due to lack of water, and due to the viral disease, one should soak the soil with water. Watering to be done in the evening, one should check for the state of the plant the following morning. That is, if the plant has not revived by the next day, then the plant has the top Curl virus.
The disease is easily spread by beet leafhopper, which is a very small, wedge-shaped that varies in color from pale green to brown. It is most prevalent when temperatures are warm, and populations of leafhoppers are most significant.
Both the virus and the beet leafhopper have a wide range of hosts. The pest can spread for long-distance spreading the virus.
The beet leafhopper acquires the virus from the infected plants and other weeds such as mustards. The plants begin to show the symptoms seven days after they are affected by leafhoppers.
To control the diseases, one should acquire certified seeds that are resistant to the disease. Currently, the research is ongoing to identify resistant varieties and breeding of new varieties.
Since the infected plants do not recover, one should remove and destroy it since it would act as a source of the virus for the pests to spread. The diseased plant should be placed in the bag sealed and burned in an incinerator.
The beet leafhoppers do not easily attack tomatoes in the greenhouses and shade nets as they prefer feeding in the sunny spots.
Providing shade to tomatoes and peppers will discourage the leafhoppers from feeding.
The soils should be kept evenly moist. This can be achieved by applying mulch to reduce the evaporation rate.
Also, since the pest is attracted to the widely spaced crops, one should minimize the spacing and intercropping to control the levels of the curly top virus.
There are no chemicals for controlling the virus; however, spraying with neem oil will assist in keeping them away from the pest.
By Ann Macharia
Tomatoes is one of the significant vegetable crops that is planted in large areas of Kajiado County, among other crops such as kales, cabbages, spinach, watermelon.
The environment is conducive to the growth of the vegetables, mainly due to the hot weather condition experienced in the locality. For a long time, the tomatoes farmers have had a challenge with the Tuta absoluta- the tomato leaf miner, especially during the warm weather conditions when the multiplication rate is very high.
Most farmers are now aware of the pest and are working hard to eliminate and control the pest as they increase production. It comes to another blow to the tomatoes farmers due to an alarming disease that is spreading at a very high rate.
Farmers have gone viral on the social Media posting the images of the disease and lamenting how it is affecting the tomatoes production in a significant way. A farmer lamented on how he had lost 60 %of his output.
The disease manifests itself as wilting in tomatoes, which one may confuse as an increase in temperatures or lack of water. It’s a common virus disease affecting the tomatoes, beans, peppers, and mimics the symptoms of moisture stress.
The leaves curl and turn purple, and one may quickly think of its phosphorus deficiency. The disease also results in stunted growth. All these are symptoms of Tomato Curly Top Virus.
The diseases easily confuse the farmers with nutrient deficiency as it causes the plant to have a slow growth rate, especially on the leaves, which also curls lowering the process of photosynthesis. As the leaves curl, they become thickened and stiff. Some fruits fail to develop while others develop deformed shapes, and sometimes the fruits produced ripen prematurely. When young plants are infected, they could quickly die shortly after the infection.
For one to differentiate wilting due to lack of water, and due to the viral disease, one should soak the soil with water. Watering to be done in the evening, one should check for the state of the plant the following morning. That is, if the plant has not revived by the next day, then the plant has the top Curl virus.
The disease is easily spread by beet leafhopper, which is a very small, wedge-shaped that varies in color from pale green to brown. It is most prevalent when temperatures are warm, and populations of leafhoppers are most significant.
Both the virus and the beet leafhopper have a wide range of hosts. The pest can spread for long-distance spreading the virus.
The beet leafhopper acquires the virus from the infected plants and other weeds such as mustards. The plants begin to show the symptoms seven days after they are affected by leafhoppers.
To control the diseases, one should acquire certified seeds that are resistant to the disease. Currently, the research is ongoing to identify resistant varieties and breeding of new varieties.
Since the infected plants do not recover, one should remove and destroy it since it would act as a source of the virus for the pests to spread. The diseased plant should be placed in the bag sealed and burned in an incinerator.
The beet leafhoppers do not easily attack tomatoes in the greenhouses and shade nets as they prefer feeding in the sunny spots.
Providing shade to tomatoes and peppers will discourage the leafhoppers from feeding.
The soils should be kept evenly moist. This can be achieved by applying mulch to reduce the evaporation rate.
Also, since the pest is attracted to the widely spaced crops, one should minimize the spacing and intercropping to control the levels of the curly top virus.
There are no chemicals for controlling the virus; however, spraying with neem oil will assist in keeping them away from the pest.