Dear Editor,
About three years ago or it may be more, the disease of dry leaves or ‘fire burn,’ as it is commonly referred to by farmers, surfaced in different areas. Not knowing what it was farmers were using a host of fungicides and insecticides both contact and systemic, but with no result.
About six months ago, the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) visited farms in various regions and distributed fungicide to some farmers. They told the farmers that the disease was suspected to be Black Sigatoka, but samples had been sent to laboratories overseas for further testing and confirmation, and farmers would be informed when the results were back. Well after about three months I have heard nothing about the results of these tests. A portion of my farm is used as a pilot project. I made contact with the regional representative of NARI in Region 2, and he informed me that the results were not back as yet. I can remember that in 2006 some soil tests were done by the Ministry of Agriculture in one area, and the results of these tests were promised in weeks, yet years later they are not back with the farmers. Will this be another such case?
While in the meantime farmers should use the drugs recommended by NARI it is always good to diagnose before you treat.
Yours faithfully,
Archie W Cordis