Leaf miner
Leaf miner description The adult leaf miner (Liriomyza sativae) is a 1-1.8mm long shiny black fly with a prominent yellow triangle between the bases of...
Category Archives: Crop protection
Crop protection is crucial to long term profitability of a commercial hydroponic farm. You need to know which chemicals to apply at the right time to ensure a high percentage of grade a product.
Downy mildew on lettuce
Downy mildew is a serious problem in greenhouses especially under cold humid conditions. It is caused by the casual organism Bremia lactucae. Of the commercial...
Sclerotinia or watery soft rot
Sclerotinia symptoms Leaves, especially the older ones, start to wilt during any stage of growth. The wilting continuous until the plant collapses completely. The...
Grey mould
Grey mould is found on lettuce, escarole, endive and globe artichoke. The disease is most important during transit of these crops. The disease is caused...
Whiteflies in greenhouses
Description of whiteflies Whiteflies are about 1.5mm long, the adult is white which resembles a tiny moth. They produce oblong eggs, pale green to purple...
Septoria leaf spot a destructive tomato disease
Septoria leaf spot is one of the most destructive diseases on tomato and is caused by Septoria lycopersici. It is most destructive during moderate temperatures...
Anthracnose can cause serious losses in tomatoes and lettuce
Anthracnose is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum phomoides and is a common and widely distributed rot of ripe tomatoes. The disease can cause serious losses...
Bacterial spot causes injury to seedlings and adult plants
Bacterial spot is caused by Xanthomonas vesicatoria and is most noticeable in its effect on fruit. However it may also cause considerable injury to the...
Fusarium wilt
Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) is one of the most damaging fungi that infects tomatoes. Fusarium wilt is a soil borne disease and infects both soil...
Verticillium wilt – Verticillium alboatrum – found on all vegetable crops
Verticillium wilt is caused by the fungus Verticillium alboatrum. Quite often verticillium wilt is confused with fusarium wilt. The fungus attacks a wide range of...
Damping-off affects almost all seedlings
Most seedlings are particularly susceptible to damping-off. In general the disease is caused by the fungi Pythium but some damage also occurs from infection from Rhizoctonia...
Bacterial wilt
Bacterial wilt known as Ralstonia solanacearum biovar 3, formerly known as Pseudomonas solanacearum (SMITH) and Burkholderia solanacearum). Bacterial Wilt also known as Southern bacterial wilt...
Bacterial canker (Clavibacter michiganensis) the most destructive disease
Bacterial canker (Clavibacter michiganensis) is one of the most destructive diseases of tomatoes which is caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (smith) formerly known as...
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew background Powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) is most prevalent in warm, dry atmosphere. The optimum germinating temperature is approximately 25°C with humidity ranging between...
