The aim of this study was to describe briefly the principal diseases affecting tobacco in Uruguay as well as the means used to control and prevent them : a) Cryptogamic diseases : Damping off : Pythium, Phoma etc., Rhizoctonia, Anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp); b) Animal pests : Gryllotalpa (Courtilière); Scapteriscus, Diabrotica spp., Thrips tabaci and Frankliniella spp.; Nematodes : Meloidogyne spp; c) Virus diseases : TMV and TSWV. The following diseases are found in fields : a) Cryptogamic diseases : Alternaria (tenius and alternata); b) Bacterial diseases : Pseudomonas angulata and Pseudomonas tabaci; c) Animal pests : Agrotis ipsilon, Gnorimoschena operculella, Scrobipalpa absoluta, Epitrix hirtipennis oparvula; Thrips tabaci and Frankliniella spp.; Melanoplus spp.; Tettigonides spp.; Manduca sexta; Diabrotica spp.; Nezara viridula; Myzus aphis; Macrosiphus; Tetranychus telarius. Nematodes : Meloidogyne spp.; Pratylenchus spp.; d) Virus diseases : TMV, TSWV. For stored tobacco the pests are Lasioderma serricorne and Ephestia elutella. The most used methods of control or prevention for each pest are indicated. Finally it should be pointed out that the problem of nematodes is an important one and several methods of control have already been experienced, such as crop rotation, ploughing, etc.