Some tomato diseases you should know

Tomato is generally prone to over 100 diseases that are caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These diseases spread through many means: it could be through the soil, water supply, air, infected tools, animals, and even the farm workers or the farmers themselves. How much do you know about some of these diseases? Let’s take […]

Tomato is generally prone to over 100 diseases that are caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. These diseases spread through many means: it could be through the soil, water supply, air, infected tools, animals, and even the farm workers or the farmers themselves. How much do you know about some of these diseases? Let’s take a look at some:
Septaria Leaf Spot
Septaria leaf spot disease creates a small, circular spot with a grayish-white centre and dark edges. Small black spots may appear in the centre. As soon as the plant is infected, the leaves begin to turn yellow, wither, and eventually fall-off.
Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt
These tomato plant wilt diseases are caused by fungi in the soil that enter through roots, killing the vessels in the plant which supplies water to the roots and stems of the tomato plants. Once the plant can’t get water, the plants begin to suffer on sunny days, although they appear to recover at night. Tomato wilt may first show on the top or lower leaves of the plant, causing them to lose colour then die back from the tips. This will continue until the whole plant is affected.
Early Blight (Alternaria)
Also called “Alternaria,” this disease turns the lower leaves brown or black spots with dark edges. Stem ends of fruits may be attacked, showing large, sunken black areas with concentric rings.
Late Blight: This is caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans, occurs during periods of cool, rainy weather that may come at the end of a growing season. It causes irregular green-black splodges in the plant. Fruits may have large, irregular-shape brown blotches that quickly become rotten.
Mosaic Virus: Mosaic virus attacks many kinds of crops but it is common with tomato. The mosaic virus doesn’t kill the plant, but it diminishes the number and quality of fruits. The virus gets its name from the markings that resemble a mosaic of light green and yellow on the leaves and mottling on the fruits of affected plants. Leaves may also grow in misshapen forms, resembling ferns.