The Spanish authorities are stepping up their battle against the Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus (ToLCNDV), which is causing serious damage to courgette and now melon crops across the south of the country.
Tests are being carried out in Murcia that will see the release of natural enemies to combat the spread of whitefly, the vector that transmits the virus.
Angel García Lidón of the Ministry of Agriculture in Murcia told Hortibiz that the tests will be carried out by the region’s Plant protection Service and Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition. Koppert will provide the natural enemy – Eretmocerus mundus – for free.
Noelia Medialdea of Hortofrutícola Costa de Almería told Fruitnet that many producers had decided not to sow early season melons due to the winter crop being delayed. “As a result we expect to see higher volumes of late season melons, which will exacerbate the situation because the higher temperature means a greater prevalence of whitefly,” she said.
Medialdea noted that although growers had introduced tighter controls to try and curb the spread of the disease, it would likely have a major impact on production during the spring and summer months.
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