The ministry of agriculture has cautioned farmers in Kiambu Sub County on late blight disease which mainly affects potatoes and tomatoes during cold weather seasons.
This poses a threat of food insecurity and financial loss.
Speaking from her office on Tuesday, the sub-county agricultural officer, Jane Muigai said that the disease creates a big loss to the farmer if the disease is not detected and managed early as plants can die within days after being infected since the humid conditions favour rapid development of the infection
She noted that that late blight disease is a fungus disease which spreads rapidly in potatoes and tomatoes during wet weather causing collapse and decay of the plants saying that the disease occurs when an infected tuber and tomato seeds are planted where the spores produced easily spreads to adjacent and emerging plants
The officer said that it’s difficult to control late blight once the symptoms are evident hence prevention is key to help limit sources of infection and modifying the environment to reduce disease development and spread.
Muigai said that farmers should avoid replanting in fields which had been infected in the previous years and she recommended crop rotation practice with resistant crops. She also added that thy should only plat clean and certified seed each year or season noting that some farmers replant seeds especially potatoes while harvesting.
“Harvest in dry weather after the stems and leaves have dried up and are dead for at least two weeks to ensure minimum or no infection during the next season also regularly monitor your farms for early and timely detection of symptoms,” she advised.