Kashi tomatoes, a native tomato variety growing at the Food Production Zone of the Hyderabad Farming Collective. 

Tomatoes. 

Some call them fruits, some call them vegetables.

Some grow it at their homes, while some like to buy them from their local vendors.

Some only need a few drops of its juice, while some can’t get enough of it.

Some like them raw and some like them cooked.

Well, no matter what you call it or how you like it, it sure is a versatile ingredient that can accommodate the tastes, textures and flavours from across the world – from the good old rasam to gourmet pasta and pizza sauces. As much as humans love these juicy fruits, some other creatures (whom we call pests) love them too! But sometimes, these pests can take over the whole vegetable garden or farm and damage the entire tomato plants, depriving us of our share. 

But is there a way to manage them without causing them any harm? Let’s find out.

8 Major Pests of Tomato Plants

1. Tomato Leaf Miner

Tomato leaf miners are the larvae of a small fly that burrow into the leaves of tomato plants, creating tunnels as they feed on the tissue inside. This damage can reduce the tomato plant’s ability to photosynthesise, weakening the plant and reducing its yield. Additionally, the tunnels created by tomato leaf miners can provide entry points for pathogens, increasing the risk of disease in the plant. 

Leaf miners, as a broader group of pests, attack many other veggies and are also one of the major pests of leafy vegetables.

2. Aphids

Tomato aphids, also known as green peach aphids, are small, soft-bodied insects that feed on the sap of tomato plants. They are usually green in colour and are commonly found in clusters on the undersides of tomato leaves. Tomato aphids can reproduce quickly and cause significant damage to tomato plants if left untreated.

3. Spider mites

Tomato mites refer to the several species of mites that can infest tomato plants, including spider mites, two-spotted mites, and broad mites. These mites are tiny, spider-like pests that feed on the sap of tomato plants, causing yellowing, stippling, and leaf drop. They take shelter under the tomato leaves to hide from predators. Being anthropods, they are territorial and are likely to complete their entire lifecycle on the host plant, in this case, the tomato plant.

4. Whiteflies

Whiteflies on tomato plants are small insect species found in tropical regions. They have small yellow bodies and flat white wings, and can reproduce rapidly. Some sub-species of whiteflies are particularly fond of tomato plants and feed on the sap of fresh leaves. As a result, the leaves start yellowing and folding, eventually dropping off. These small tomato insects can even transmit viruses from one plant to another, which can be fatal to the infected plant.

5. Tomato Hornworms

Tomato hornworms are large moth caterpillars that feed on tomato leaves and fruit. They can be identified by the distinct ‘horns’ at the end of their tail from which they get their name. If left untreated, they can damage the whole tomato plant from stem to fruit.

6. Cutworms

Cutworms are known to cut through the stems of young tomato plants near or below the soil surface, causing the plants to wilt and eventually die. They feed on the stem of the tomato plant at the base, cutting off the water and nutrient supply to the rest of the plant. Cutworms can be particularly destructive to young tomato seedlings, but established plants can also be damaged if the cutworms attack the stems.

Cutworms spotted on tomato plants growing at the Food Production Zone of the Hyderabad Farming Collective.

7. Fruitflies

We have all seen fruit flies hovering over juicy ripe fruits in markets or sometimes in our own homes. These tiny yellow, brownish-black flies come to gardens or farms when the fruit is at its ripening stage. Naturally, ripening bright tomatoes are an instant attraction for tomato fruitflies. These can be more annoying than damaging in a tomato garden and appear in large amounts where the fruits are overripe or rotting.

8. Slugs & Snails

Slugs and snails are common pests of tomato plants. They feed not just on the stems and leaves but also on the fruit. If uncontrolled, their population can take over the entire garden/farm and eat up the entire produce before it is even fit for harvest.

Natural Pest Control Methods for Tomato Plants

Chemical pesticides can get rid of pests, true. But they also harm the soil and the natural ecosystem of plants, leading to more inputs from the farmer/gardener over time. And what’s more, excessive use of pesticides can make pests adapt to them and eventually grow resilient, leading to even more pesticide use. The process does not stop until the inputs to the soil become overbearing and the soil becomes incapable of supporting the plants. Therefore, resorting to natural pest management methods is the key to growing healthy plants without harming the environment or its creatures – a win-win for you and nature.

Some natural ways to repel pests on tomato plants are:

Biological Control

Biological pest management means introducing natural enemies of the pest to the plant ecosystem and letting the food chain do its work. In most cases, we don’t even need to ‘introduce’ the pests. Predators are naturally drawn to the localities of their prey. And once they arrive, the predator-prey cycle sets in. In newly planted crops or veggies, it might take a little while for the cycles to set in, but a little patience goes a long way. Numerous birds, ducks and hens feed on small bugs, caterpillars, worms, snails and slugs, while also fertilising the soil with their droppings.

Use of Natural Sprays

Natural sprays used in pest management include neem oil, insecticidal soap, garlic spray, and chilli pepper spray. These sprays are made from natural ingredients and can effectively control pests without harmful chemicals. Natural sprays also help while taking precautions when the plants are prone to attacks. For example, at the Hyderabad Farming Collective, many crops were damaged during a recent hail storm. Some bigger plants like tomatoes and brinjals survived, but they were weak and prone to pests. So the farm team used precautionary sprays like jeevamrut and neem oil to protect them from pests.

Planting Pest Repellant Species

Natural pest-repellant species like Citronella near your plants can avoid pests. Citrus plants and trees are especially helpful in repelling spider mites as spiders choose hosts which are not in the vicinity of citrus crops due to their strong smell. It is important to find out what kinds of smells repel the pests and adapt them to your polycultures.

Maintenance and Physical Barriers

Regular maintenance of veggie patches is essential as many bugs, caterpillars and worms like to crawl under leaf litter to hide from predators or external forces like wind or water. Prune your plants regularly and clear the grounds just enough to avoid crawling caterpillars is essential. However, if you wish to keep the leaf litter to retain soil moisture, you can provide physical barriers around your plants with cardboard boxes.

These natural methods of pest control of tomato plants may not work in some cases, especially when the number of pests is high, which could lead to entire crop damage. But with each season and each cycle, we learn more about our plants, their pest friends and the ecosystems supporting them. Therefore, even though you could face some loss of yield in the initial stages, natural pest management methods are more sustainable in the long run.