8 0 PESTS – 8.2 - PREVENTION PRACTICES AND MONITORING 1 - 5

 

ORGANIC FARMING COURSE AGRO-ECONOMY

8 0 PESTS – 8.2 - PREVENTION PRACTICES AND MONITORING 1 - 5

Knowledge about plant health and pest and disease ecology helps the farmer to choose effective preventive crop protection measures. As many factors influence the development of pest and disease, it’s crucial to step in at the most sensitive points. This can be accomplished through the right timing of management practices, a suitable combination of different methods, or the choice of a selective method. Some important preventive crop protection measures are the following ones:

1)      Selection of adapted and resistant varieties: 

→ Choose varieties which are well adapted to the local environmental conditions (temperature, nutrient supply, pests and disease pressure), as it allows them to grow healthy and makes them stronger against infections of pests and diseases.

2)      Selection of clean seed and planting material:

→   Use safe seeds which have been inspected for pathogens and weeds at all stages of

       production.

→   Use planting material from safe sources.

3)      Use of suitable cropping systems (see 6. Crop Planning and Management):

→   Mixed cropping systems: can limit pest and disease pressure as the pest has less host plants to feed on and more beneficial insect life in a diverse system.

→   Crop rotation: reduces the chances of soil borne diseases and increases soil fertility.

→  Green manuring and cover crops: increases the biological activity in the soil and can enhance the presence of beneficial organisms (but also of pests; therefore a careful selection of the proper species is needed).

4)      Use of balanced nutrient management:

→   Moderate fertilization: steady growth makes a plant less vulnerable to infection. Too much

        fertilization may result in salt damage to roots, opening the way for secondary infections. →   Balanced potassium supply contributes to the prevention of fungi and bacterial infections

5)      Input of organic matter:

→  Increases micro-organism density and activity in the soil, thus decreasing population densities of pathogenic and soil borne fungi.

→   Stabilises soil structure and thus improves aeration and infiltration of water.

→  Supplies substances which strengthen the plant‘s own protection mechanisms.

 

 

KOZI YA KILIMO HAI KILIMO-UCHUMI

8 0 WADUDU – 8.2 - TABIA ZA KINGA NA UFUATILIAJI 1 – 5

 

Ujuzi kuhusu afya ya mimea na ikolojia ya wadudu na magonjwa humsaidia mkulima kuchagua hatua madhubuti za kuzuia mazao. Kwa kuwa mambo mengi huathiri ukuaji wa wadudu na magonjwa, ni muhimu kuingilia kati katika sehemu nyeti zaidi. Hili linaweza kutimizwa kupitia muda sahihi wa mazoea ya usimamizi, mchanganyiko unaofaa wa mbinu tofauti, au uchaguzi wa mbinu iliyochaguliwa. Baadhi ya hatua muhimu za kuzuia mazao ni zifuatazo:

1) Uchaguzi wa aina zilizobadilishwa na sugu:

→ Chagua aina ambazo zimezoea vyema hali ya mazingira ya ndani (joto, ugavi wa virutubishi, wadudu na shinikizo la magonjwa), kwa kuwa inaziruhusu kukua zenye afya na kuzifanya kuwa na nguvu dhidi ya maambukizo ya wadudu na magonjwa.

2) Uchaguzi wa mbegu safi na nyenzo za kupanda:

→ Tumia mbegu salama ambazo zimekaguliwa kwa viini vya magonjwa na magugu katika hatua zote za

       uzalishaji.

→ Tumia nyenzo za kupandia kutoka kwenye vyanzo salama.

3) Matumizi ya mifumo inayofaa ya upandaji mazao (tazama 6. Upangaji na Usimamizi wa Mazao):

→ Mifumo mchanganyiko ya upandaji miti: inaweza kupunguza shinikizo la wadudu na magonjwa kwani wadudu wana mimea ndogo ya kulisha na maisha ya wadudu wenye manufaa zaidi katika mfumo tofauti.

→ Mzunguko wa mazao: hupunguza uwezekano wa magonjwa yanayoenezwa na udongo na huongeza rutuba ya udongo.

→ Kuweka mbolea ya kijani kibichi na mazao ya kufunika: huongeza shughuli za kibiolojia kwenye udongo na inaweza kuongeza uwepo wa viumbe vyenye manufaa (lakini pia wadudu; kwa hiyo uteuzi makini wa spishi zinazofaa unahitajika).

4) Matumizi ya udhibiti wa virutubisho:

→ Utungishaji wa wastani: Ukuaji thabiti hufanya mmea kuwa katika hatari ya kuambukizwa. Sana

        mbolea inaweza kusababisha uharibifu wa chumvi kwenye mizizi, na kufungua njia ya maambukizi ya pili. → Ugavi wa potasiamu wenye uwiano huchangia katika kuzuia fangasi na maambukizi ya bakteria

5) Uingizaji wa vitu vya kikaboni:

→ Huongeza msongamano wa viumbe vidogo na shughuli kwenye udongo, hivyo basi kupunguza msongamano wa idadi ya fangasi wa pathogenic na udongo.

→ Huimarisha muundo wa udongo na hivyo kuboresha uingizaji hewa na upenyezaji wa maji.