Watch out for late blight during this wet weather

For the last three weeks, tomato and potato farmers have had crazy weather. Heavy rains come with lots of problems. They provide prime conditions for harmful pathogens to propagate and spread. Late blight is one such disease. If not identified and treated early, it can ruin the entire crop. The disease attacks tomatoes and potatoes and, besides wiping the entire crop, it can provide a source of infection for other plants.

Farmers need to understand that late blight is not any other tomato or potato disease. Most tomato diseases affect the leaves and cause limited damage to fruit, and while they may reduce the harvest, the entire crop is not lost. Besides, because most pathogens are not readily dispersed by wind, their effects are localised. Late blight kills plants outright and is highly contagious. Its occurrence in your farm can affect other farms because the spores are easily dispersed by wind.