Eco-Friendly Nets and Floating Row Covers Reduce Pest Infestation and Improve Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Yields for Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

Elisha Gogo,Thibaud Martin,Mathieu Ngouajio,Mwanarusi Saidi,Francis Itulya

doi:10.3390/agronomy4010001

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important vegetable for supplying vitamins, minerals and fiber in human diets worldwide. Successful open field production of tomato in the tropics is limited by insect pests among other constraints. Two trials were conducted at the Horticulture Research and Teaching Field, Egerton University, Kenya with the objective of evaluating the effects of agricultural nets (agronets) herein called eco-friendly nets (EFNs) and floating row covers (FRCs) on pest population and yield of tomatoes. A randomized complete block design with five replications was used. Tomato plants were protected with either fine mesh EFN (0.4-mm pore diameter), large mesh EFN (0.9-mm pore diameter) or FRC. The EFN and FRC were maintained permanently closed or opened thrice a week from 9 am to 3 pm. Two control treatments were used: open unsprayed (untreated control) or open and sprayed with alpha-cypermethrin based insecticide (treated control). The use of EFN and FRC helped to manage pests with the lowest pest population obtained under FRC maintained permanently covered and the highest population recorded in the untreated control. Covering tomato plants with EFN or FRC also resulted in more marketable fruit and lower yield losses compared with the unprotected systems. The EFN and FRC offer great potential as part of integrated systems for pest management and yield improvement in tomato production in regions with a tropical climate.

Highlights

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production is one of the most promising areas for horticultural expansion and development in many developing countries
Transplants were established under eight different treatments as follows: (i) open unsprayed; (ii) open sprayed with alpha-cypermethrin based insecticide on a weekly interval; (iii) floating row covers (FRCs) maintained permanently covered; (iv) fine mesh (0.4-mm pore diameter) eco-friendly nets (EFNs) maintained permanently covered; (v) large mesh (0.9-mm pore diameter) EFN maintained permanently covered; (vi) FRC opened three times a week from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; (vii) fine mesh (0.4-mm pore diameter) EFN opened three times a week from 9:00 am to
The weed population was influenced by the use of EFN and FRC

Summary

Introduction

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production is one of the most promising areas for horticultural expansion and development in many developing countries. Fresh tomatoes are produced for both domestic and export market in most developing countries, and there is increasing demand for processing. Increased production of tomato may improve living standards, especially in rural areas of many developing countries where poverty is prevalent [1]. Successful tomato production is constrained by pest infestations that contribute to reduced fruit yield and quality [2,3]. Common pests of tomato in the tropics include leafminers (Lyriomyza sp.), cotton bollworms (Helicoverpa armigera Hubner), onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman), mites (Tetranychus sp.), silverleaf whitefies (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), and aphids (Aphis sp.) [3]. Yield losses as high as 100% due to insect pest damage have been reported [2]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion