Farmers have experienced significant reductions in crop yields and incurred additional costs as a result of the tomato leaf miner moth. This pest can reproduce at an alarming rate during warm to hot weather conditions.
In this episode of Farmer’s Inside Track, Alwyn Vorster, a regional technical advisor at AECI Plant Health, joins us to share insights on the tomato leaf miner moth. This pest has been on the rise in South Africa, posing a significant threat to tomato production.
Vorster kicks off with the history of the tomato leaf miner, where it originated from and the different hosts for this pest.
He also shares details on what the specific pests look like, making it easier for a farmer to identify them. However, there is a catch, the tomato leaf miner is similar to a variety of pests, which he delves into in this episode.
“The damage that they cause is mostly on the leaves. They go in between the leaves causing the leaves to die off, most of the foliage may be destroyed and in such cases, large portions of the plants may die off,” he explains.
The podcast episode also explores how the pest damages the plant, as well as how it travels from one leaf to another.
In this episode, Vorster also discusses:
- What can be done to control the pest;
- How an integrated pest management system will work; and
- Some advice to farmers.
Want to know more? Listen to the full episode of Farmer’s Inside Track.
Option 1: Click here to listen on Spotify (all mobile and other devices).
Option 2: Click here to listen on any Apple device.
Option 3: Click here to listen on Google Podcast.
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