Tomato Cultivation in Bangladesh: Insights into Pest Awareness and Disease Management

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), an extensively cultivated vegetable in Bangladesh, is profoundly influenced by insect pests and diseases, adversely affecting crop yield and quality. Farmers’ knowledge and perceptions about these difficulties are essential for the successful and sustainable implementation of pest control measures in tomato cultivation. This research included a comprehensive survey of 400 tomato-growing farmers across 10 districts in Bangladesh to assess their knowledge of prevalent tomato pests, diseases and existing management strategies. The results indicated that farmers have been facing pest and disease challenges for several years, listing significant pests such as fruit borers, whiteflies and aphids, as well as diseases like Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) and late blight as common. More than 90% of farmers indicated significant crop loss, between 30% and 49%, primarily due to various pests and diseases. A majority of farmers (78.5%) mostly used chemical pesticides, spraying them at intervals of 3-7 days while exhibiting little implementation of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The survey showed that 71% of farmers did not have formal training in pest management, leading them to often use insecticides (mainly neonicotinoids) and fungicides (especially triazoles) every 3-7 days, with short waiting times before just of 2-3 days, which could be more harmful to food safety. The results highlight the critical need for training initiatives and the implementation of more sustainable pest control strategies to enhance tomato cultivation in Bangladesh