Overcoming gender barriers to tomato farming in Pakistan
Tomato is an important crop in Pakistan – every year, the country produces 4.2 million tonnes of tomatoes. Growing them can be labour intensive. But research shows that tomato production has the potential to generate good incomes for rural smallholders. This includes incomes for women farmers. In Pakistan, women account for over 60% of active…
How can tomato farming be improved in Kenya? Study finds producers face a ‘myriad of constraints’
In a recently published paper in Scientific African, CABI’s Willis Ochilo led on a study which captured a better understanding of tomato producers in Kenya, describing in detail the production practices in order to identify challenges and opportunities for increasing tomato productivity for the country’s smallholder communities. Tomato is a good source of vitamins A…
Tuta absoluta: combating the tomato leafminer [Video]
A recent IPM workshop in Ethiopia focussed on the tomato leafminer – a pest that causes devastation on tomato crops in Europe, Africa and South America. This video shows how the workshop attendees dedicated their time to finding out more about the pest, seeing it in the field, and working on recommendations for control. To…
See Xanthomonas bacteria infecting a tomato plant [Video]
If you’ve ever wondered what exactly happens when a disease infects a plant, watch this video. This detailed animation shows Xanthomonas bacteria infecting a tomato plant, causing bacterial spot disease. For more information about Xanthomonas in plants, and how to control it, visit the Plantwise Knowledge Bank.
Down the pan
How about I start this week’s blog with a question……what is the common link between the newly-constructed toilet block in Kithimu market place and Maize streak virus (MSV)?
The life and travels of Tuta absoluta, the tomato leaf miner
The pesky tomato pest, Tuta absoluta, has decided in recent years that it wants to see a little more of the world. This moth is native to Peru and is probably widespread in all countries in South America, but in the last 5 years the pest has also been found in the Mediterranean, spreading at…