Tomato Insecticide
Tomatoes are one of the most important vegetables in the world with global production exceeding 177 million metric tons per year.
However, despite the massive production of tomatoes, pests are a constant nuisance that may deprive you of a bountiful harvest as a tomato grower.
We realize that regardless of the steps you take in guiding against pests, they are inevitable. You can only have a concrete plan in place to curtail their attack; thus, the need for pesticides for tomatoes.
As usual, we have created a guide that will show you everything you need to know about tomato pests and the pesticides you can use to prevent and eliminate pest invasions.
Our interest is to see you enjoy the productive cultivation of tomatoes, and we hope this guide will be a compass that leads you on how to achieve that.
Now, let’s progress by clarifying what pests are.
Classification of Pests
There are several classes of pests; we have weeds, insect pests, and microorganism which includes fungi, bacteria, nematode, and virus.
Pesticide for Tomato
Pesticides have proven to be a long time solution to most pests ravaging our farmland. Pesticide is a chemical known to kill and prevent weeds, insects, fungi， and so on. Among other means of curbing pest anomalies, pesticides have stood out to be the best method a farmer can ever follow in incapacitating, killing, and preventing pests.
Classification of Pesticide
Pesticides are classified based on how they operate. It is classified into different categories which are;
Classification based on target organism: Examples of these are herbicide, fungicide, insecticide, rodenticide, nematicide, and so on.
Chemical Structure: Examples are organic, inorganic, synthetic, or biological otherwise known as a biopesticide.
Physical state: Gaseous and fumigant.
Major Insect Pests of Tomato
Because tomatoes fruits are succulent and juicy, it is an easy target for many insects in the field. Some of the insect pests that attack tomatoes include;
Aphids: Aphids are known for their ability to increase significantly. They are known to attack tomato plants at the early stage of planting and on the stem. It is a dense tiny little insect that is known to cause severe damage to tomatoes
Whiteflies: Whiteflies are the main distributor of the disease tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) with their laying of eggs underside tomato leaves. Their feeding on fruits and leaves of tomatoes is a common cause of irregular ripening disorder in greenhouse tomatoes.
Hornworms: Hornworms are green caterpillars known to be massive leaf eaters. This kind of defoliation greatly hurts the productivity of the fruits. Some more mature hornworms go as far as feeding on fruits.
Cutworm: Another pest that constitutes a major threat to the existence of tomato farming is the cutworm. Cutworm is a tiny young grub caterpillar known known always feed on the stem at night and known to feed seedling till it fell down.
Thrips:This is also one of the common pests that attack tomato farming. It serves as a vector in tomato wilt virus disease. Their bodies are long, slender, and small, and light coloured to brown or yellow. The wings of thrips have long hairs on the margins.
Tomato Fruit worm:Tomato fruitworm is one of the most destructive insect pests ravaging tomato farming. It causes severe damages to tomato farming by causing small holes in the stem of the fruit.
Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB):Their feeding on tomato can cause a reduction in the yield and in some extreme cases kills the plant. One of the main factors that showcase CPB as a major threat is its ability to develop resistance to insecticides that are used frequently to control them.
Other notable mentions include:
Verticillium Wilt.
Fusarium wilt
Damping off
Beet armyworm
Yellow striped armyworm
Cabbage loopers
Two-spotted spider mites
Flea Beetles and so on.
Insecticides for Tomato
Insecticides are chemical substances mainly used to kill insects. It consists of ovicides and larvicides used to guide against insect eggs and larvae.
Insecticides can alter the ecosystem as they may be toxic to other essential insects such as earthworms, butterflies, bees as well as birds.
Therefore, it is imperative to take caution in applying insecticides. Ensure that they are properly engaged, and use necessary safety tools during the application process.
Classification of Insecticides
Insecticides can be classified into two major groups. They are:
Contact Pesticide for the Control of Whiteflies
Contact insecticides serve their purpose according to their name. This kind of insecticides works by coming in contact with the insect. Insecticides will deprive the larvae and pupa of oxygen which will eventually lead to their death.
Contact insecticides are known to work at a faster rate compared to systemic insecticide. But to guarantee a maximum result, it is worthy of note to make sure you the entire farmland where there is an insect attack. The inability to do this can create a safe abode for these destructive creatures.
Systemic Insecticides
Systemic insecticides have long-term or residual activity. Even though it's slower compared to contact insecticide, it is advisable for farmers to use it as this does not need any form of contact between the insects and insecticides.
Once the gas odor filled the environment in which the insects are or the gas is absorbed by insecticides, then it will serve its function of incapacitating the insects.
Types of Insecticides
Insecticides have three main categories which include:
Organic insecticides: They are an organic chemical compound that works mainly by contact.
Inorganic insecticides: This kind of insecticide comes in the form of metallic compounds.
Natural insecticides: They act as a natural defense against insects.
Common insecticides for tomato
There are different types of insecticides used in controlling insects invading tomatoes. But in this article, we have curated some of the best, most efficient, and most effective you can use in controlling pests ravaging your tomato farm. They are: Abamectin, Imidacloprid, Indoxacarb, Chlorpyrifos
