Use the photos and symptoms of the most common tomato diseases to identify your tomato plant problem and learn all about causes and treatments. Symptoms first become visible on ripe or ripening fruit as small, circular, indented spots. Common plant diseases and pests ndsu agriculture and. Late blight do not work in tomato fields when plants are wet to avoid spread of diseases. Bacterial speck, early blight and bacterial canker are also. Fungi are the most common cause of infectious plant diseases and can be very destructive. Diseases and symptoms this topic covers the information related to diseases and symptoms of tomato contents. Inspect fields regularly for pests, diseases, weeds, nutritional disorders, soil moisture and general plant health. In areas prone to bacterial diseases disinfect pruning knives with a commercial detergent e.
Uses, side effects, interactions, dosage, and warning. Inappropriate levels of water, light, temperature and nutrients can all cause problems with leaves in tomatoes. Various fresh tomatoes are a hallmark of summer and a staple in many home gardens. Foliar diseases of tomato university of tennessee system. Some disorders are not caused by diseases, but are the result of cultural practices or environmental conditions. Do not work in tomato fields when plants are wet to avoid the spread of diseases. Several kinds of diseases can plague tomato plants. Agrios 1997 as figure 11 published by academic press, san diego, ca, with permission from elsevier. Solanum lycopersicum and lycopersicon lycopersicum is an herbaceous annual in the family solanaceae grown for its edible fruit. Tomato diseases fact sheet list cornell university. As the result, few diseases that usually occurs in tomato plants such as late blight training 100, test 21, gray spot training 95, test 18 and bacterial canker training 90, test 21 are. Infection usually occurs on the lower leaves near the ground, after plants begin to set fruit. Bacterial diseases that infect the tomato and their symptoms.
This destructive disease of tomato foliage, petioles and stems fruit is not infected is caused by the fungus septoria lycopersici. Dark brown spots with broad yellow haloes appear on the leaves, and concentric. This vitamin is an essential nutrient and antioxidant. This is the definitive work on the diseases and disorders of the tomato, a worldwide crop of. Soilborne disease complexes, composed of two or more soilborne pathogens, may reduce yield and quality of tomato crops, particularly in longterm protected culture production.
Numerous small, circular spots with dark borders surrounding a beigecolored center appear on the older leaves. This is a common disease of tomato occurring on the foliage at any stage of the growth. Here is a list of what you might see on and around your tomato plants. Limiting tomato residence time in dump tanks and flumes to less than 2 minutes, and minimizing contact of tomatoes in gondolas with large streams of water will reduce the potential for infiltration.
Several tomato diseases and disorders cause leaf spots and fruit rots. There are too many tomato plant diseases to list in one article, but here are some of the most common. Leaf diseases like leaf spot, early blight and late blight cant be cured but they can be managed and even prevented. The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of tomato rootstock in bacterial wilt management. Pdf characteristics of tomato plant diseases a study. Some diseases affect the foliage, while others attack the fruit.
This is no different for the tomato crop, as great efforts have been undertaken to not only to identify any. It is one of the most devastating diseases of tomato. Following the successful first edition, this revised edition, contains 680 pages and 900 color photos and diagrams, covering every imaginable symptom, pest and disease affecting the tomato. Some pests and diseases, described in the advice pages on the links below, can also cause leaf problems in tomatoes. Among the problems are infectious diseases of leaves, fruit. The guide addresses the key control methods and their rating in an idm system for the major disease from fungi, bacteria. The fungal diseases septoria leaf spot and early blight are two of the most. Common diseases of tomatoes osu fact sheets oklahoma.
The stems are covered in coarse hairs and the leaves are arranged spirally. Tomato diseases and pests, description, uses, propagation. As tomato plants grow, keep an eye out for tomato pests and tomato plant diseases such as tomato wilt that may come in the form of fungi, bacteria, or viruses. In the fall, if you have had tomato plant disease problems or tomato pests of any kind, remove the entire plant. The fungus causes a leaf blight and may cause seedling disease, collar rot, stem canker or fruit rot. So, here are ten strategies to help prevent diseases and other problems. Tomato pests and diseases, symptoms, control agri farming. Tomatoes are a good source of several vitamins and minerals. Tomato disease identification is easiest by comparing your problem to pictures and a list of symptoms. Leaf curl disease is characterized by severe stunting of the plants with downward rolling and crinkling of the leaves. Generally, good cultural practices that ensure consistent plant growth will reduce these types of disorders.
Tomato fruit problems, but preventing problems is usually easier than curing them. However, bacterial speck populations in ontario have shown widespread resistance to copper, and in some areas of the us, bacterial spot has also developed resistance. Foliar diseases of tomato steve bost professor entomology and plant pathology early blight, also called alternaria leaf blight, is caused by the fungus alternaria solani. Several plant pathologyrelated terms are used in these descriptions. Other tomato problems commonly encountered are physiological and do not spread from. Growers who have grown tomatoes in a single location for several years may notice stunting, yellowing and reduced yields. Tomato diseases and disorders tomatoes are the most widely grown vegetable in the u. Plants can be thriving one day, and shriveled and brown a few days later. If you keep a close eye on your plants leaf health, watering status, and growth patterns, theres a good chance youll be able to catch the disease early to treat or eradicate it. We have worked together to identify the questions and needs for the industry.
Managing bacterial diseases of tomato in the field may 2006 pest and disease identification and control for tomatoes. The fruit is a familiar vegetable, but the fruit, leaf, and vine are used to make medicine. Rotate tomatoes so they grow in the same ground only every four years or so. Fixed copper bactericides are currently the only effective registered control products for bacterial disease on tomatoes. The plant can be erect with short stems or vinelike with long, spreading stems. Early blight is a common leaf spot caused by the fungus alternaria solani. Tomato leaf and fruit diseases and disorders includes information on many of those listed plus others pdf kansas state university cooperative extension. Tomato production was hampered with various diseases in all the treatments although the aspirin treated plant t 1 and t 2 were free from few diseases. It is the most common disease of tomatoes in tennessee. It is critical to start with diseasefree transplants because many infectious diseases may be car ried on tomato seed. Tomato crops can host of production problems and pathogens when conditions and maintenance are not ideal.
Tomato diseases and disorders missouri botanical garden. Tomato diseases and disorders diseases in outdoor production 3 anthracnose anthracnose, caused by the fungus colletotrichum coccodes, is probably the most common fruitattacking disease of tomato in iowa. Major insect pests and diseases of tomatoes and their. The newly emerging leaves exhibit slight yellow colouration and later they also show curling symptoms. Identification and control information each will open in a new window tomato diseases and disorders includes information on most of those listed pdf iowa state university extension. Growing tomatoes tips fusarium wilt on tomatoes by american phytopathological society via tomato dirt tomato diseases. Tomato disease identification growing tomatoes, tomato.
Identification and management of tomato diseases is an important step in obtaining a successful tomato harvest. Moreover, this guide is by no means inclusive of every tomato disease. These are physiological disorders problems that are caused by the growing conditions rather than by pests or diseases. Tomato plants can develop disorders that distort plants and blemish fruits. Tomato disease and insect control manual with variety selection anthony carver extension agent grainger county 3 disease identification pictures taken from cornell university, rutgers university, a.
Septoria leaf spot is probably the most common foliar disease of fieldgrown tomatoes in the northeast. Noninfectious diseases of tomato are covered in extension fact sheet epp7627. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. As any product becomes increasingly important in the economic sector, any factor that will increase the efficiency of producing that product will usually be explored, including the impacts of bacterial diseases in tomatoes. Diseases of tomatoes caused by bacteria, viruses, and nematodes are described in extension fact sheet epp7626. Dark, irregular spots, often worse on younger leaves. This article needs additional citations for verification. Septoria leaf spot, caused by the fungus septoria lycopersici, is the most common foliar disease of tomatoes in iowa. Tomato diseases are rarely fatal if you take management steps in a timely manner. Tomato disease identification key by affected plant part. This disease is transmitted by whitefly bemisia tabaci. Tomato diseases and disorders uc master gardeners of nevada.
Diseases of tomato plants concern every gardener whether they grow one plant in a pot or enough to can and freeze. Inspect fields regularly for pests, diseases, weeds, nutritional disorders, soil moisture and note scorched appearance of leaves and stems, general plant health. It is important to catch any disease early, before it spreads to all of your tomato plants and possibly other plants in the same family, such as potatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Common plant diseases and pests 0 what is plant disease.