Jun 22, Tomato Fungus,Controling tomato fungus and disease

Tomato Fungus

Prevention is your best defense against plant diseases such as tomato fungus because once your plants are infected it is nearly impossible to eradicate.

Disease symptoms are caused by pathogens which include: fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Causes

Fungal diseases like tomato fungus result in plant symptoms seen on roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. Generally they are caused by fungi that live in the soil or in the air. Some of the most common signs caused by fungal disease are: damping off, root rot, wilts, club root, blights, mildews, rusts, and leaf spot.

Types of fungus

Blights including early and late blight, attack tomatoes and their relatives. The fungus can damage or kill leaves and cause rot in the fruit. Early blight causes leaves with dark, ringed spots on leaves and fruit.

Leaf spot symptoms are caused by a wide range of fungi, which includes Septoria and anthracnose. Fruit infected by tomato fungus anthracnose has ringed sunken spots. Infected tomatoes eventually rot. Septoria symptoms start as small yellow spots that slowly turn brown. Whole leaves may yellow and drop.

Best organic method

Purchase stocky, disease-free plants or start your own seed indoors. Soak seed in a 10 percent bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water for 10 minutes. Then rinse in clean water before planting to reduce seed-borne diseases.

Experiment with the homemade controls below to find the organic method that works best for you. First, make a test application by treating only a few leaves and then wait a few days to check for effectiveness or any damages before continuing to use.

Compost tea sprayed onto tomato plants can prevent fungal disease. Mix one part compost with five parts water. Allow to stand for 1 week. Then strain before spraying.

Soak 3 ounces minced garlic in 2 teaspoons of mineral oil for 24 hours. Strain. Add 1 pint water and 1 teaspoon liquid dish soap. Mix thoroughly. Spray plants with a mixture of 2 tablespoons soap mix and 1 pint water to control the fungus on tomatoes.

Non organic treatments

Fungicide use dates back to the late 1800s when sulfur was used to kill fungi and other disease-causing organisms on both people and plants.

To control fungus on tomatoes, spray plants with a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with a few drops of dish soap and 1 quart water. This prevents spores from germinating and may help stop infections already started.

A through spray of vegetable oil coats plant surfaces acts as a barrier to infection. Oils seem to prevent fungal rusts.

Preventions

Avoid anthracnose fungus by selecting resistant varieties when available. Using proper sanitation techniques are the best prevention method for avoiding tomato fungus. Plant in well-drained soil and do not touch plants when they are wet. Remove and destroy infected plants.

Prevent Septoria leaf spot by removing and destroying infected leaves. Clean up plant debris in the fall. Use disease-free seed. Crop rotation reduces the chance of the fungus.

If you have experienced difficulties in past years with tomato fungus, avoid infection by most fungi with applying organic fungicide treatments like sulfur or copper every 5 to 10 days.

Applying fungicides on a regular basis is often recommended to prevent disease such as tomato fungus. To use efficiently, keep records of the disease problems that occur in your garden. Learn about diseases common to your area to help reduce fungicide use.

Go to Identifying-Garden-Pests from Tomato Fungus


0 Responses