Unknown affliction?

Vince · May 14, 2007

I saw this last year as well as this year. Starting at the lowest leaves on the plant and working its way upward the leaves begin to turn yellowish usually first from the stem end out to the tip. The result is that the infected leaf becomes crisp, almost like it was rapidly dehydrated. This disease spreads very rapidly up the plant if the infected foliage is not removed. Also the infected plants develope a kind of brownish coating on the surface of the central as well as side stems. Blossums are also affected, and fruit growth seems stunted on these plants. I will not use daconil or Copper sprays and can accept this disease, I just want to know what it is. All of the pictures in the tomato problem solvers do not match exactly what I am seeing, but some are similar. Anyone got a clue, will post pics when I find a leaf that I missed in the later stages of the disease. Thanks.

Vince.

Suze · May 14, 2007

Vince, pictures would be helpful. What you're describing could potentially be a number of things. Since it starts at the bottom of the plant, that suggests something fungal to me.

Vince · May 19, 2007

Here are some pics of the problem in the early stages. Sorry if the pics aren't perfect.

Thanks all.

Vince

Vince · May 23, 2007

All,
Still waiting for more responses..

Vince

lavandula girl · May 23, 2007

What temp are your plants at? There's a blight, commonly called Late Blight, (Phytophthora infestans) actually, that develops easily in cool, wet conditions. The stem gets kind of wet spots, that then dry really quickly to a crisp, and the leaves also crisp up. Hard to diagnose, even with pics, but I'd agree that you're probably looking at a fungal thing.

Vince · May 28, 2007

Lavandula girl, the climate is dry and cool where I live. ut I think you may be right about te plants having late blight. This picture (http://www.apsnet.org/online/archive/1998/latetom.htm
matches exactly what I am seeing, and is supposedly late blight. This stuff really spreads rapidly. The infestation started at a BW sudduth plant and is slowly infecting its neighbors. Any advice for late blight?

Vince

amideutch · May 28, 2007

Vince, Actinovate is known to suppress 'Phytophthora' when used during transplant or as a soil drench. I'm using it this year myself. Also check this out. http://www.ecochem.com/t_cbf.html
Ami

bcday · May 28, 2007

Vince, can you post a pic of any leaves on your plants that have a bit more browning like you see on the ones in the apsnet pic? The first three pics you showed were very good but showed mostly yellowing rather than large brown spots.

A pic of a blossom that's been affected and one of the brownish coating on the surface of the stems would help too.

Is the fruit only stunted in its growth, or are there spots or brown areas on it?

Vince · May 28, 2007

Was gone for the holiday and came back to many diseased leaves. I pruned all of them off on saturday morning, and came back with a large amount showing sighns of infection. Here are some pics. Note: Bcday I cannot get a good stem shot.
Top

bottum

Top

Bottum

Blossum and stem

So far the fruits are not destroyed but some seem to have a brown dust of spores on the shoulders. I think the brown coating on the stems and undersides of the leaves are all spores waiting to infest the rest of the garden.

Vince.

bcday · May 29, 2007

Looking at the dark collapsed veins on the leaves and given your description, I think you are right about the late blight.

The best you can do for that is to continue removing diseased leaves and use a preventative spray of your choice, and it probably still won't help much.

Try not to get the foliage wet, and stay away from wet plants until the foliage dries off. Sealing infected plant parts in a plastic bag for disposal in the trash far away from the garden will slow the spread a little and help some to keep it from coming back next year.

How did you fare last year with this disease?

Vince · May 29, 2007

Amideutch,
Thanks for the link.

bcday,
I had a good harvest last year, but I don't remember this stuff spreading so rapidly up the plants. It seems to affect BW and Earl's faux the most. I have at least 100 BWs and 60 EFs set or about to ripen, hopefully I can harvest most of them. I don't remember loosing fruits to this stuff. I will not be using any organic or synthetic sprays, but have been bagging the infected leave and taking the away from the garden.

Vince

May 14, 2007	#1
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	Unknown affliction? I saw this last year as well as this year. Starting at the lowest leaves on the plant and working its way upward the leaves begin to turn yellowish usually first from the stem end out to the tip. The result is that the infected leaf becomes crisp, almost like it was rapidly dehydrated. This disease spreads very rapidly up the plant if the infected foliage is not removed. Also the infected plants develope a kind of brownish coating on the surface of the central as well as side stems. Blossums are also affected, and fruit growth seems stunted on these plants. I will not use daconil or Copper sprays and can accept this disease, I just want to know what it is. All of the pictures in the tomato problem solvers do not match exactly what I am seeing, but some are similar. Anyone got a clue, will post pics when I find a leaf that I missed in the later stages of the disease. Thanks. Vince. __________________ Vince

May 19, 2007	#3
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	Here are some pics of the problem in the early stages. Sorry if the pics aren't perfect. Thanks all. Vince __________________ Vince

May 23, 2007	#4
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	Early blight? All, Still waiting for more responses.. Vince __________________ Vince

May 23, 2007	#5
lavandula girl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 64	What temp are your plants at? There's a blight, commonly called Late Blight, (Phytophthora infestans) actually, that develops easily in cool, wet conditions. The stem gets kind of wet spots, that then dry really quickly to a crisp, and the leaves also crisp up. Hard to diagnose, even with pics, but I'd agree that you're probably looking at a fungal thing. __________________ Mostly Harmless

May 28, 2007	#6
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	Lavandula girl, the climate is dry and cool where I live. ut I think you may be right about te plants having late blight. This picture (http://www.apsnet.org/online/archive/1998/latetom.htm matches exactly what I am seeing, and is supposedly late blight. This stuff really spreads rapidly. The infestation started at a BW sudduth plant and is slowly infecting its neighbors. Any advice for late blight? Vince __________________ Vince

May 14, 2007	#2
Suze Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 3,027	Vince, pictures would be helpful. What you're describing could potentially be a number of things. Since it starts at the bottom of the plant, that suggests something fungal to me.

May 28, 2007	#7
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Vince, Actinovate is known to suppress 'Phytophthora' when used during transplant or as a soil drench. I'm using it this year myself. Also check this out. http://www.ecochem.com/t_cbf.html Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!' Last edited by amideutch; May 28, 2007 at 04:53 AM.

May 28, 2007	#8
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	Vince, can you post a pic of any leaves on your plants that have a bit more browning like you see on the ones in the apsnet pic? The first three pics you showed were very good but showed mostly yellowing rather than large brown spots. A pic of a blossom that's been affected and one of the brownish coating on the surface of the stems would help too. Is the fruit only stunted in its growth, or are there spots or brown areas on it?

May 29, 2007	#10
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	Looking at the dark collapsed veins on the leaves and given your description, I think you are right about the late blight. The best you can do for that is to continue removing diseased leaves and use a preventative spray of your choice, and it probably still won't help much. Try not to get the foliage wet, and stay away from wet plants until the foliage dries off. Sealing infected plant parts in a plastic bag for disposal in the trash far away from the garden will slow the spread a little and help some to keep it from coming back next year. How did you fare last year with this disease?