Quote:
Originally Posted by flyingbrass
I'm not 100% positive, but I think several of my plants have TYLCV (tomato yellow leaf curl virus). I noticed some whiteflies earlier in the season.
I've read that the virus first showed up here in the valley a few years ago.
I had been hoping the problem was a nutrient issue, or perhaps overwatering. I was also fearing the horse manure I applied may have been the cause. None of that explains why some plants are fine, while others have been developing this problem. They are planted in the same soil and watered the same.
I've tried letting the plants dry out more between waterings. That hasn't helped. Over the past weeks I've applied some blood meal, chicken crap fertilizer and even Miracle Gro to different affected plants. I've also foliar fed seaweed, epsom salt, and Miracle Gro. Nothing has had any effect. I really don't think it's a nutrient issue.
I pulled out that smallest plant today. 4-5 others are showing symptoms to varying degrees. If I pull them also, I'll be yanking half my plants. I'm debating whether to do that.
Any thoughts? Does this look like TYLCV to you?
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Hi Flyingbrass,
Being in South Florida, and fighting off TYLCV for years I can tell you that yes , unfortunately this is what you have. I am so sorry for you. The whiteflies do respond to spraying neem oil every 5 days, it controls them very well, but if you let up they do come back. Unfortunately it only takes one whitefly feeding on your plant for 15 minutes to spread the virus, according to the PHD I spoke to on the phone at the USDA.
In the end they always get my tomatoes, but not usually before I get a nice crop, because I don't get lazy with my spraying until late in the season
The noticeably infected plants should be pulled as soon as you see the first signs of leaf change, because the whiteflies do hop and feed from one to the next closest.
They are my biggest nemesis. The USDA lady told me to look close by for their source because they don't fly very far ( but can be carried by wind). In my case all my neighbors have very lush foliage and whiteflies eat a lot of things besides tomatoes, so my neighbors yards are the likely source for them.
Yellow sticky traps are not a wonderful deterrent but all things help somewhat.I would start with the neem oil spray (mix with some liquid dish soap because their bosies sre soft and soap also kills them by destroying their "wax" on their bodies) as soon as your seedlings are planted permanently, and then every 5 days religiously. That prevention is what saves me every year. You probably already know this, but make sure it is very early or very late afternoon when you spray, else the Neem oil will burn the leaves in the bright sun and heat of the day.
I hope this helps you.