My Tuta experience with tomatoes this summer

I farm totally organic and don't spray my crops, and there is just the odd lesion in my 14 tomato tunnels, writes Bill Kerr.

- Bill Kerr

Ever since the pest Tuta absoluta (tuta) arrived in South Africa, this moth species has caused extensive damage to tomato production. It reminds me of when the serpentine leaf miner, Liriomyza huidobrensis, arrived and caused substantial damage on several crops, including potatoes, lettuce and Swiss chard. At the time we found a number of natural enemies that were able to provide significant control if left to their own devices and not killed off with harsh chemical sprays.

When I first discovered tuta on my tomatoes, I contacted the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and asked whether this new pest was likely to be controlled by local natural enemies. The researcher I spoke to asked whether my clients grew potatoes, and my response was yes, they did, and they were