Diseases

These are fungal infections caused by different fungi. Fungi have no chlorophyll and thus lack photosynthetic capability. They absorb nutrients from either living or dead host tissue.

Botrytis mostly affects the rose blooms and rarely leaves. In the European Market which is the major destination for Kenyan Flowers head botrytis is regarded as one of the major destructive diseases.

Tomato is one of the widely produced and consumed vegetable in Kenya with nearly every household in demand of this noble fruit. However its production is capital intensive and can be challenging if the requisite knowledge and expertise is not available or effectively put to use.

Dear herb growers, Basil is one of the major herbs grown in Kenya but is susceptible to attacks by fungus like pathogen, peronospora belbahril. Both culinary and ornamental basil can be hosts to the pathogen. Basil downy mildew can affect the leaves, stem and braches of many types of basil.

Chives, Allium schoenoprasum, are perennial herbs in the family Liliaceae grown for their leaves which are used as culinary herbs. The chive plant is a member of the onion family and forms small bulbs from the roots.

Coffee is the most important agricultural commodity with an estimated retail value of 70 billion US dollars. It is also crucial for the economy of more than 60 countries as it the main income earner for more than a 100 million households.

Coffee berry disease is a fungal disease caused by colletotrichum kahawae and attacks the coffee Arabica. The fungus reproduce asexually and the disease is considered to be one of the major factor hampering coffee Arabica production in the Africa continent.

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus is a plant virus that was detected in Australia in the early 1900s and rapidly spread to other areas of the world. It is now common in temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions around the world.

Today we shall talk about tomato yellow leaf curl virus. This is the most destructive disease of tomatoes and can be found in Tropical and sub tropical regions. Affected tomatoes are characterised by stunded growth, Yellowing of the young leaves and Upward curing of the leaves. There is no known cure for this disease but it can be prevented.

The Banana scab moth, belongs to the family of Crambidae and is considered a serious pest in banana plantations. Its damage to the fruit can result in downgrading and/or rejection of the fruit thus great economic losses.

Powdery mildew is a common disease of cucurbits under field and greenhouse conditions in most areas of the world. Podosphaera xanthii and Erysiphe cichoracearum are the two most commonly fungi causing cucurbit powdery mildew.

Bean anthracnose is a seed-borne disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. The disease is most common and severe on dry and snap beans but may also affect runner bean, mung bean, cowpea, and broad bean.