Pests are a serious threat to the lucrative tobacco business as they affect yield, quality and ultimately profit margins. Farmers are therefore encouraged to employ effective pest management methods from the seedbed right through to the destruction of stalks. Integrated pest management (IPM) entails combining several methods of lowering pest levels in the crop including prevention, cultural, physical, biological control and use of pesticides.Prevention reduces the need for pesticides as it aims to destroy hosts for pests and in so doing prevent the carry over of diseases.
Legislative dates sets the dates for destruction of seedbeds as December 31 and for destruction of stalks as May 15.
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