This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
Kenya's tomato farmers have received a significant boost with the launch of a new disease-resistant tomato variety. The Seminis Tomato Ansal, a hybrid variety developed by Bayer East Africa, was first introduced to farmers in late 2018 after a year-long trial period in Kirinyaga, Loitokitok, and Nyanza.
The new variety, which is also high-yielding with 5-8 fruits per cluster and has a three-week shelf life after harvest, is resistant to bacterial wilt, tomato mosaic virus, verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, and root-knot nematodes.
Bacterial wilt is a soil and waterborne disease caused by the bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum, which can destroy 100% of tomatoes. The disease can survive for up to 40 years in water, making it a significant challenge for tomato farmers who rely heavily on river and lake water for irrigation.
“Following extensive trials with farmers, we can confirm that the new variety is the answer to bacterial wilt in tomatoes. It is a great seed variety that will save the farmer huge costs in pesticides in fighting the disease,” said Bayer East Africa Commercial Lead - Vegetables Elizabeth Mranda.
Ms. Mranda noted that research showed that farmers lose between 50 and 100% of their crop due to bacterial wilt. The launch of the new variety is expected to provide a significant relief to tomato farmers in Kenya.
