8 Tomato plant diseases: Identity, prevent, and treat
You can do everything right. You can start your tomato seeds properly, transplant your seedlings at the right time, leave enough space, feed, water, and prune your plants throughout the season - but diseases still occur. Tomatoes seem to have more conditions than any other garden vegetable. It's reassuring to know that even if your plants are susceptible to disease, it usually doesn't kill the plant completely. So, if you act quickly, you are unlikely to lose your plants entirely.
It's also important to realize that when your tomato plants have problems, they don't have any disease. In the first part of this article, we will discuss some common tomato diseases. But after that, we'll cover some other tomato plant problems that aren't caused by disease. Some are simply eco-friendly, while others are down to pest infestations. Common tomato plant diseases involve a fungus, a bacteria, or a virus. Fungal infections are common. But not all bacterial or viral infections are rare. In most cases, as with most things, prevention is better than cure. Generally, these infections can be easily invaded by environmental problems.
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1. Early tomato blight
Early tomato blight is caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. The disease starts with brown spots on tomato leaves, from older ones.
Each spot will start forming rings like a target. Gradually, yellow color appears around the brown spots, and then the entire leaf turns brown and falls off. As long as you catch it early, early blight won't completely stop your tomato harvest. Remove infected leaves as soon as possible. Dispose of it away from growing areas and composting areas in your garden. If you do, your plants may survive and you'll get tomatoes. But unfortunately, there won't be many.
2. Late tomato blight
Late tomato blight, unfortunately, is usually a more serious problem. This is one of the most destructive problems you will encounter. And unfortunately, it is common in very humid temperate climate zones. Late blight is caused by the fungus Phytophthora. This is one of the most common problems with tomato crops - and it's hazardous for new gardeners.
The first sign of blight in tomatoes is usually brown spots on the leaves, which quickly progress to water rot, which kills the leaves and stems and turns them brown. As the blight spreads, the fruit on your tomatoes will also turn brown and begin to rot on the vine. If left untreated, this disease can quickly become a major problem. Late tomato blight cannot be completely eradicated in cool, wet weather. But the preventive measures mentioned above can go a long way in reducing the likelihood of outbreaks. Again, be aware. Get over the problem and remove infected plant material as soon as possible.
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3. Southern blight
Southern blight, also known as southern wilt, southern stem rot, and southern root rot, is caused by the soil-borne fungus Sclerotium rolfsii. This disease attacks many plants, including tomatoes, at or below the soil line. Southern blight is most likely to occur in the summer when the soil is warm and moist. It is common in the southern United States, but can also occur in more northern gardens. Symptoms include discoloration of lower leaves, wilted leaves, and plant decline. Looking closely, you can see white hyphae or mycelia around the lower stem, roots, and surrounding soil.
Southern blight, like other blights, stays in the soil for a long time. Remove and destroy all infected items as soon as possible. In hot climates, solarization (heating the soil with plastic) is sometimes recommended to eliminate the causative pathogens. However, this is not recommended because heating the soil in this way can damage it and harm beneficial soil organisms.
In general, it is best to avoid growing tomatoes and other susceptible crops in the area if there are recurring problems.
4. Sclerotinia disease/ tomato tree rot
This problem is caused by a fungus related to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This fungus produces small black, seed-like structures that can survive in the soil for a long time. They cause disease in tomatoes and many other plants.
If this fungus infects your tomatoes, the plants will suddenly turn yellow, wilt, and collapse. Also, like the southern blight described above, this UK pathogen produces wet rot on plant stems near soil level, and you can see white fungal filaments around the area. Later, black spots (small seed-like structures) appear on this white fungal growth. Dispose of all material as quickly as possible, taking care not to spread it to other nearby plants.
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5. Septoria leaf spot
This is a fungus called Septoria lycopersici that infects the leaves of your plant after it begins to form fruit. Sometimes, this can be mistaken for late blight - although it can happen anytime. Yellow spots appear on the infected leaves. Dark gray centers with dark edges appear, then the foliage turns papery with dark spots.
Remove infected leaves as soon as you find them. Avoid watering your plants from above. Irrigation from above forces the spores formed on the leaves back into the soil and restarts the disease cycle.
6. Verticillium wilt
This problem is caused by Verticillium albo-atrum - another soil-borne fungus. This fungus attacks the roots of your tomato plant and travels with the water in the xylem tubes. This prevents the normal flow of water and nutrients to the plant's foliage. If this problem occurs, yellow spots appear on the leaves. The problem starts with the lowest leaves and spreads upward. As the spots spread, the veins on the leaves turn brown, and then the leaves die completely. The disease progresses to the stem and stunts the growth of the plant.
You can still harvest when problems occur. But it turns out to be much worse than expected. Unfortunately, once the plants are infected, there's not much you can do. Rotate crops and if this is a recurring problem, consider breeding resistant varieties.
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7. Fusarium Wilt
If your tomato plants are watered and cared for carefully and suddenly wilt and die, fusarium wilt may be the culprit. This fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. Lycopersici is another that enters the roots and attacks the vascular system of plants. Unfortunately, plants can die from this infection because their 'nerves' are blocked and they cannot get the water and nutrients they need. Again, be careful to remove all infected material as soon as possible, avoid growing tomatoes or other affected crops in the area for at least 4-5 years, or remove and replace the contaminated soil area. Consider growing wilt-resistant varieties/hybrid tomatoes.
8. Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew can be identified by observing white, powdery patches of fungus that form on upper and lower leaf surfaces, flowers, and fruit. In most plants, this fungus is transparent, and infected plant tissue can be removed quickly. It is therefore a less troublesome disease than the wilts described above.
Usually, once the infected leaves are removed, the rest of the plant will recover. Making sure to remove and destroy all infected leaves will reduce the chances of infective spores spreading to other plants or reappearing the following year.
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