The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
THE Tobacco Research Board (TRB) has urged tobacco farmers in Manicaland to be on the look-out for mealybug, a cotton pest that is now attacking tobacco seedlings.
The bug is popularly known as a cotton pest.
The first cases of the pest attacking tobacco were recorded in Manicaland during the 2019-2020 season after a small-scale farmer in Ward 34 of Odzi spotted it in his crop.
Speaking to Odzi farmers as a research company was raising awareness on the pest, TRB chief executive officer, Dr Dahlia Garwe said the changes in the sap-sucking insects’ profiles are due to climate change.
“In 2019, the country sold tobacco worth US$260 million. In 2020 our production and sales dropped by 30 percent due to climate change and pests like the mealybug. The country only realised US$185 million from the exportation of tobacco, which is a huge loss,” said Dr Garwe.
To prevent the pest’s resistance and immunity, farmers are being encouraged to use aphid pesticides and chemicals interchangeably. At the moment, most small-scale farmers are using one pesticide and the pests are resisting this.
“Tobacco farming requires attention to detail because these pests can adapt to the environment regardless of the changing weather conditions. If it gets too hot, they leave cotton and okra to attack tobacco.
“We can use the pesticides we have always been using to counter the mealybug, but interchange the pesticides to prevent the bug’s resistance to one pesticide. We need to prevent the spread of the bug to other tobacco farming areas, hence the need to take this issues seriously,” said Dr Garwe. She also encouraged farmers to practise crop rotation on their farms.
TRB regional sales agronomist, Mr Itai Mazhangara discouraged farmers from inventing their own instructions when it comes to pesticides.
“A lot of farmers do not want to buy chemicals regularly. They want to save the little amount of chemicals they already have, which is not very wise.
“For the pesticides to be effective, we need to use them as instructed,” advised Mr Mazhangara.
TRB entomologist, Ms Zimazile Jazi spoke on the need to destroy all tobacco stalks from the previous season before planting new crops.
“Old stalks can spread diseases. Besides making our plant look bad physically, pests kills the plant.
“This will eventually affect our harvests and profit margins. Prevention is better than cure, a wise farmer will destroy all stalks from last season. We need to contain the mealybug,” said Ms Jazi.
Christened ‘madzibaba’ because of their white colour, mealybugs can weaken plants. They excrete a sticky substance (honeydew) onfoliage, which promotes the growth of sooty mould.
An Odzi farmer, Mr Mapara Nyagundi, said the pest is a setback to him and other farmers.
