Thread by @PhiriDivah

1/5 A famous chef once said that you need an entire life just to know tomatoes. This is even more true of those involved in producing the crop as new challenges seem to appear every year. Tuta absoluta has a high reproductive capacity with female moths laying up to 300 eggs at a

2/5 time . Generation cycles are short, up to 12 per year are possible. This means the danger of resistance to chemicals developing is increased. A spraying program that rotates chemical groups and modes of action is essential to prevent resistance build up. Tips on control.

3/5 The most effective control will be achieved through integration of chemical, biological and cultural means. All infested material must be destroyed either by burning or by deep burial. Crop rotation must be adhered to and weed control regularly and effectively carried out.

4/5 Pheromone traps are used for monitoring populations, as mating disruptors and for mass trapping to reduce numbers. When chemicals are used for control, different groups should be alternated, not mixed together in single applications. A reputable agricultural chemical supplier

5/5 should be consulted. Tuta is not an easy pest to control and virtually impossible to eradicate once established.
#farming #horticulture #Charterseeds
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