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Old May 20, 2017   #1
ArcherB
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Default What disease or pest is this?

I have a plant that has an issue. It appears to have leaves dying, but not like the rest (russet mites). These die, but then appear oily. The plant also has what looks like used motor oil on the stems as well. None of the other plants seem to be affected and the plant is still alive. It's even still producing. I just want to know what's causing it.

Notes:
I've been fighting russet mites, as I do every year, but this is different than russet mite damage. I've sprayed with neme oil and pyrethrin. I've thought that maybe this was dead leaves that have soaked up neem, but there's no shortage of dead leaves and this is the only plant with the issue.
Google has been no help as "oily film on stems" doesn't return the results I'm looking for.

Thanks for the help.

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Old May 21, 2017   #2
VC Scott
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What time of day do you spray?
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Old May 21, 2017   #3
b54red
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What variety is it?

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Old May 21, 2017   #4
ArcherB
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That particular plant is a Japanese Black Trifle. However, I have four JBT's in the garden, on of those is right next to it, two feet away. This one plant is the only one effected.
I only spray immediately before the sun goes down.

BTW, the images are not showing for me so here are some links:
This one is a better image of the leaf damage, although you can't see the oil slick on the stems:
https://goo.gl/photos/iDZGjBJCTBmnVqv88

This is the original image posted above:
https://goo.gl/photos/TjuAk3sVkh5XsULL9

And this is what I had for dinner tonight:
https://goo.gl/photos/mde5TcN73oioj5MW9

Last edited by ArcherB; May 21, 2017 at 10:20 PM. Reason: added links to pictures.
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Old May 21, 2017   #5
ArcherB
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Here's another image. It's out of focus but you can still see the oily stems:
https://goo.gl/photos/SxHztYGCPkbgRSu87
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Old May 21, 2017   #6
RayR
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Bacterial canker?
Cut open a stem longitudinally and see if the tissue is discolored in any way.
Does the leaf necrosis progress inward toward the petiole?
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Old May 22, 2017   #7
b54red
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The reason I asked what variety you were having a problem with is because black varieties have a real tendency to get gray mold. Did it start first lower on the plant and more in the shady part? If it is gray mold you need to spray the plant with the diluted bleach spray and then wait two days and remove all the dead stems and there will be far more than you think if it is gray mold.

I'm surprised I haven't had to use the diluted bleach spray yet this year; but it won't be long before it is needed. If you do have gray mold or even something similar it will help to use the bleach spray but before you do please read the thread about its use. I can tell you if I saw leaves that looked like that my first response would be to mix up a batch of the diluted bleach spray and use it.

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...t=bleach+spray

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Old May 22, 2017   #8
ArcherB
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The cut stems look fine Ray. The only thing that separates this plant from the rest is the oily film you see in the images. Otherwise it's healthy... or at least as healthy as the rest.

Bill, What dilution do you use bleach to water? Would a TB/Gallon work?
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Old May 22, 2017   #9
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That's a relief that it doesn't show signs of a systemic infection.
What the oily film is about, I have no idea, but the dark marks on the stems and the dark leaf and petiole necrosis has got to be clue. Gray mold is a likely suspect. Has it been humid where you are? Before attempting the nuclear option of using Bill's diluted bleach spray, do you have anything safer like copper fungicide?
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Old May 22, 2017   #10
jtjmartin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ArcherB View Post
The cut stems look fine Ray. The only thing that separates this plant from the rest is the oily film you see in the images. Otherwise it's healthy... or at least as healthy as the rest.

Bill, What dilution do you use bleach to water? Would a TB/Gallon work?
Take a look at Bill's bleach thread here:

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...ghlight=bleach

NOTE: The volume of bleach you use per gallon depends on the concentration of the bleach. A cheap bleach from the Dollar Tree will be a lot different from a superconcentrated bleach from a pool supply store.
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Old May 23, 2017   #11
b54red
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RayR View Post
That's a relief that it doesn't show signs of a systemic infection.
What the oily film is about, I have no idea, but the dark marks on the stems and the dark leaf and petiole necrosis has got to be clue. Gray mold is a likely suspect. Has it been humid where you are? Before attempting the nuclear option of using Bill's diluted bleach spray, do you have anything safer like copper fungicide?

Ray I agree a copper spray might work if the gray mold is very mild and I spayed my plants with it two days ago. We are now having a rainy spell and even if I don't see any signs of gray mold I may go out and use the bleach spray either today or tomorrow. Even used between rains it can deter or stop some diseases that are starting in the wet humid conditions. I have yet to find a fungicide that will do that.


I have to disagree with you strongly that using the bleach spray is a nuclear option. Delaying treating gray mold is a nuclear option because if you delay it will be much worse and possibly fatal to the plant. As I have stated in past posts and threads the bleach spray when used properly and early is the least harmful thing you can do and the most effective as far as stopping a disease early. Once you let something like gray mold linger then use the bleach spray in desperation you will end up with massive foliage loss but not because of the bleach spray but because of delaying and allowing gray mold to spread. What you see of gray mold on a plant with your eyes is only the tip of the iceberg usually. By the time you see the signs of gray mold it has already spread several limbs up the plant and those leaves will be affected by the bleach spray but only because they are already infected even though they may look fine. The same thing is true of mildew on squash or similar crops. Using the bleach spray early will prevent those mildews from spreading and destroying the plants but if you wait til they are all over the plant then the foliage loss from the bleach spray will be huge. When spraying early before any signs of disease I will use a slightly less concentrated bleach spray. Most of the information needed to use and mix a safe and effective bleach spray are outlined and discussed in the thread in the link below.

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...t=bleach+spray

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Old May 23, 2017   #12
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Bill, my experience with Gray Mold has been very limited only seeing it a few times some years back and it always appeared as the textbook fuzzy gray growth. It wasn't something that rampaged through the garden which in part may have been because I was using a copper soap fungicide as a preventative for other fungal problems.
I'm not doubting the effectiveness of the bleach spray in dealing with the difficulties in your climate but I see a propensity for some people to use it as a cure all for anything that they perceive to be a fungal issue.

ArcherB already mentioned that he has a russet mite problem, something I have no first hand experience with. I was reading up a bit on Tomato Russet Mites and the symptoms are pretty variable. They feed on undersides of leaves, petioles and stems, exactly where the photos show the problems. Russet Mites are also associated with leaving a greasy appearance. (Could that be the oily film on the stems?)
So could all this damage be caused by Russet Mites and have nothing to do with Gray Mold or anything like it at all?
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