Published: 01 May 2025

Tobacco farmers in Zimbabwe are grappling with a growing challenge as the destructive Fusarium Wilt Disease (FWD), which primarily affects the prized gold leaf, continues to spread across several districts, threatening the country's tobacco crop.

Charles Karavina, a plant pathologist with the Tobacco Research Board (TRB) in the Plant Health and Agricultural Resilience Division, issued a warning about the worsening situation. Karavina explained that the current tobacco season (2024-25) has seen a marked increase in the frequency of FWD outbreaks, which are causing significant damage to crops.

"In the current season, we detected increased frequencies of the occurrence of FWD," Karavina told NewsDay. "This was based on tobacco samples that farmers brought to the plant clinic and also on visits that we made to some farmers after they raised concerns with us."

The disease has been reported in several areas, with affected regions including Banket, Chinhoyi, Raffingora, Mutorashanga, Karoi, Trelawney, and Norton in Mashonaland West; Marondera, Goromonzi in Mashonaland East; Odzi in Manicaland; and Centenary in Mashonaland Central. In most cases, disease incidence has ranged from 1% to 3%.

Fusarium Wilt is a soil-borne fungal disease that blocks the water-conducting vessels (xylem) of tobacco plants, causing them to wilt and, often, die. The disease has been spreading to other crops as well, including potatoes. Symptoms of FWD include yellowing, drying, and death of leaves, followed by stunting, defoliation, and eventual plant death.

Karavina said that TRB was actively researching chemical treatments that could be used in the short term to combat the disease. "By the end of June, we would have recommended some products to use from the list of products that we tested this season," he added.

In addition to short-term solutions, TRB has initiated breeding programs aimed at developing tobacco varieties resistant to FWD, which would help mitigate the impact of the disease in the future.

Chelesani Tsarwe, the public affairs officer for the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB), encouraged tobacco growers to take proactive steps to prevent infection. She advised farmers to use disease-resistant tobacco varieties from reputable suppliers to reduce the risk of FWD. Tsarwe also noted that overwatering, often caused by flooding, could exacerbate the problem, and recommended that farmers raise their ridges to improve drainage and prevent the spread of root rot.

The spread of Fusarium Wilt poses a serious threat to Zimbabwe's tobacco industry, which remains a key contributor to the country's agricultural economy. The disease's continued spread underscores the importance of prompt action and ongoing research to protect the industry and the livelihoods of tobacco farmers across the country.
- newsday

You might also want to read this

• Zimbabwe sets new tobacco production record
• Zimbabwe inches closer to 300m kg tobacco milestone
• Tobacco season generates US$678 million
• China leads in Zimbabwe tobacco imports
• Zimbabwe, Philippines forge tobacco pact
• Tobacco crop under threat from fungal disease
• Tobacco farming expands to Matebeleland South
• Zimbabwe-China tobacco expo to be held in third quarter
• Tobacco seed sales decline 20%
• Tobacco farmers protest against buyer