Zimbabwe: Farmers Urged to Comply With Planting Dates

Source from:  The Herald 06/10/2009

Harare - TOBACCO Research Board has advised tobacco growers to comply with the legislated planting dates to prevent the spread of insect - borne diseases. According to the Plant Pests and Diseases (Tobacco) Regulations 1979, tobacco plants in the land should be destroyed before May 15 each year, tobacco seed may not be sown before June 1 each and tobacco may not be planted into the land before September 1 each year. The plants in seedbeds should be destroyed by December 31 every year. In a statement, the board said complying with dates ensured the prevention of the build up of the aphids. Aphids are vectors of the destructive bushy top and Potato Virus Y disease. The board has been monitoring daily aphid flight patterns for the past four years and comparing these to those recorded between 1962 to 1967. The results have shown that currently aphid numbers are significantly higher than those caught during the same period in the 1960s. TRB said although the tobacco aphid affected other crops besides tobacco, the continued availability of host plants in the form of undestroyed tobacco plants in the field was hampering efforts by the entire industry to reduce the incidence of aphid transmitted virus diseases. The stalk destruction date of May 15 was chosen to provide a sufficiently long dead period to break the life cycle of the tobacco aphid. Undestroyed tobacco plants in the field after May 15 ensure the survival of aphids until the seedbeds are sown. "This will necessitate the use of curative insecticide sprays to control aphid infestations in the seedbed and consequently in the fields," read the statement. Growers were urged to report any cases of non-adherence to the legislation to the TRB, Agritex and the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board. Enditem