Tomato diseases develop gradually, so not every summer resident is able to recognize the appearance of pathology at its early stage. However, there are several symptoms characteristic of each disease, by which it is possible to identify a developing disease and begin its timely treatment. The main causative agents of various tomato pathologies are viruses, bacteria, and fungal infections. They can infect crops by being in the soil or spreading through watering. The disease can be diagnosed by looking at the photo, and their treatment will be selected correctly.
Mosaic
This pathology belongs to the viral group. A tomato bush can become infected with this disease through direct contact with aphids, the insects that carry mosaic, or when planted in soil where the remains of a previous diseased plant are located. The main symptoms appear on foliage or tomatoes:
- the leaves begin to curl;
- yellowish or brown spots and stripes appear on the surface of the leaf;
- in advanced cases, the leaves dry out;
- the trunk acquires a fragile structure;
- the fruits are covered with round spots;
- when cutting the fetus, you can see necrotic zones colored green.
Mostly, mosaic affects tomatoes of the indeterminate type, which were grown in seedlings. Infection occurs when seedlings are transplanted into the soil. Also, the virus can be on the surface of seeds used to form seedlings, so before using them, it is necessary to disinfect the planting material.
Unfortunately, no remedy has been developed to help eliminate such diseases of tomato seedlings and mature bushes. All affected bushes should be removed from the site as soon as possible, without planting the plant in the ground, since such a procedure will contribute to the activation of the disease in tomato seedlings in the next season. In order to prevent infection of a healthy bush with mosaic, it is necessary to carry out prevention by disinfecting seeds and soil, maintaining optimal humidity, light and heat.
Yellow curl
The spread of tomato yellow leaf curl virus occurs through its transmission by whiteflies. Main symptoms:
- leaves take on a chlorotic appearance;
- the development of the leaf plate does not occur even to average values;
- leaves curl and turn yellow;
- the plant becomes uneven in color;
- Ripe tomatoes take on a non-marketable appearance.
This disease should not be treated, as it develops quickly and can spread to neighboring plants, therefore, the bush should be dug up and burned. When whiteflies spread near the site, control is necessary.
Cladosporiosis
This disease is popularly called brown spot. The main feature of this tomato disease is its rapid development and spread. It is caused by a fungus that first settles on the foliage and then affects the tomatoes. This disease is characterized by the following symptoms:
- the appearance of concentric spots colored with yellow pigment on the leaves;
- a brown fluffy coating forms on the spots;
- gradually the tomatoes turn brown and begin to dry out;
- leaves curl;
- curled leaves dry out and fall off;
- if the damage occurs during the flowering period, the flowers dry out and fall off.
Characteristic symptoms first appear on foliage located on the lower tiers, and then they spread throughout the entire plant.
Methods for treating cladosporiosis:
- 0.5 liters of milk and 15 drops of iodine are dissolved in 5 liters of water. The resulting liquid is carefully treated with the affected plant. Particular attention should be paid to the back of the leaves.
- In a similar way, you can spray the affected plant with a decoction made from wood ash and a whey solution.
- Add 1 tablespoon of copper sulfate, 1 tablespoon of polycarbacin and 3 tablespoons of sulfur to a bucket of water. Everything is mixed and sprayed onto the affected bush. This solution can remove diseases of tomato seedlings and adult plant crops.
- Tomatoes can be treated against diseases using the drug Bravo, which is a broad-spectrum fungicide.
During the treatment of fungal diseases of tomatoes, it is necessary to disinfect the soil. To do this, water the soil in a radius near the tree trunk with the prepared solution.
Powdery mildew
Another tomato disease is powdery mildew. The spread of infection can be recognized by the following symptoms:
- the appearance of strange formations on the leaves, the external signs of which are similar to flour dust;
- such pollination gradually forms into ulcers;
- the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off.
When the first signs of this disease appear in tomatoes, it is necessary to increase the amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer applied to the soil, as well as limit the amount of nitrogenous fertilizing. If such treatment of tomatoes against diseases does not bring a positive effect, the bushes need to be sprayed with a solution of soda or potassium permanganate, a decoction of wood ash, or garlic infusion. The drug Topaz or Fundazol protects against advanced disease.
Apical rot
The symptoms of the development of these tomato diseases and their treatment do not depend on fungi and pathogenic microflora. Blossom rot is caused by failure to properly care for the plant. The reason for the appearance of this pathology is unfavorable environmental conditions, characterized by a lack of moisture in the soil and high air temperatures. Another reason for the spread of blossom end rot is the lack of calcium in the soil and its salinity.
The formation of this disease is accompanied by the appearance of the following symptoms:
- brown spots appear on the top of the tomato;
- rotting of the vegetable under darkened areas of the skin;
- softening the affected area;
- fruit falling.
If the spots on the tomatoes have acquired a black tint, it means that another fungal disease has joined the blossom end rot.
This pathology is combated by regular watering, which does not allow the soil to dry out. It is also necessary to compensate for the lack of calcium. To do this, calcium nitrate is added to the soil. Treatment with calcium solutions must also be carried out in relation to the bush itself.
To do this, you need to dissolve 10 grams of Brexil Ca in a bucket of water. The resulting liquid is sprayed onto the plant's leaves.
If the bush passively absorbs nutrients and also draws insufficient moisture from the soil, it must be watered with solutions of Megafol or Sweet. They activate the described functions and also facilitate the process of transporting the received energy for the active ripening of fruits.
Gray rot
A characteristic feature of this disease is the appearance of a gray putrid coating on the trunk. Gradually, the ability to conduct moisture and nutrients in the stem is blocked. As a result of this, the vegetative organs of the plant dry out and die. In advanced cases, gray rot of fruits develops.
Treatment methods for this disease consist of treating the affected bushes according to the following instructions:
- All damaged areas of the trunk are removed.
- Leaves are also inspected for rot. If they are damaged, the leaves must also be removed.
- The diseased bush is treated with fungicides.
In order to prevent and protect tomatoes from diseases characterized by the spread of rot, the bushes should be treated with Glyocladin.
White rot
You can protect tomatoes from the spread of white rot by knowing its characteristic features:
- first, a white coating spreads along the lower tier of leaves;
- if left untreated, watery rot forms on the leaves, destroying the leaf structure;
- the disease begins to destroy the bush in the direction from bottom to top;
- As a result, all the fruits growing on the bush are covered with a white coating.
Treating tomatoes against diseases associated with the spread of white rot should only be done at an early stage of development. This is done by spraying the bush with a solution of copper sulfate, urea, and zinc.
Brown rot
The disease develops when the fungus gets under the tomato skin through its various damages. The main symptom is the formation of a 4-centimeter putrefactive lesion on the tomatoes around the perimeter of the stalk. It is worth considering that rot under the skin almost completely affects the fruit.
To treat the disease and prevent it, many summer residents advise treating bushes with Bordeaux mixture. Copper chloride can also be used for these purposes.
Root rot
Another name for this disease is rhizoctoniosis. This pathology is mainly detected when growing seedlings, but adult plants can also become infected due to improper watering regime.
Description of characteristic symptoms:
- the roots of the plant crop first turn black and then begin to rot;
- rot spreads to cuttings;
- then, first the leaves wither and then dry;
- Many brown spots appear on the leaves.
This tomato disease should be treated with Rossa or Pseudobacterin-2. During the treatment period, the plant crop should be watered rarely, but abundantly. In advanced cases, treatment should be done with 0.25% Ridomil Gold.
Late blight
Activation of this tomato disease occurs when the late blight fungus gets on the bush.Most often, this disease spreads in the summer-autumn season, accompanied by heavy rains. Also, the development of this disease can be caused by the rain irrigation method, in which excess moisture accumulates in the leaf sinuses.
This disease can be identified by the appearance of the following symptoms:
- the formation of brown spots on tomatoes;
- the appearance of brown drying areas on the trunk;
- darkening of some areas of the leaves.
What should I spray on affected plants? There are several different remedies that will help cope not only with early stage late blight, but also eliminate advanced diseases. To treat the initial stage of disease development, it is necessary to use Fitosporin or Zaslon. To treat advanced forms of late blight, affected plants need to be treated:
- Famoxadone;
- Mefenoxam;
- Mancozeb.
After using the listed drugs, you should not eat tomatoes collected within 3 weeks after treatment.
Stem necrosis
Stem necrosis is a viral disease that affects the formed bush during the formation of ovaries. Symptoms of tomato disease in a polycarbonate greenhouse and in open ground are:
- the spread of small dark green cracks that are located at the bottom of the stems;
- then aerial roots form on the cracks, and the plant becomes weak and begins to wither;
- the tomatoes eventually die.
The source of the disease is considered to be seeds taken for tomato seedlings or contaminated soil. To stop the spread of this tomato disease in a greenhouse or outdoors, all infected plants are removed from the site and burned.
How to spray the soil after culling
The best option for this would be a 2% solution of Fitolavin-300. The following seedlings should be planted only in treated, protected soil. All of the described bacterial, fungal or viral diseases of tomatoes can greatly worsen the condition of the plant crop, not only reducing its yield, but also causing death. Various diseases and pests of tomatoes can bypass the planting if it was planted correctly and was well cared for.
Before growing seedlings, it is necessary to process the taken seeds. And when transplanting into the ground, the seedlings need to be treated with special preventive agents to prevent the development of diseases. If the summer resident does not have the energy and time to provide proper care for the planting, he needs to choose those tomatoes whose varieties are resistant to diseases characteristic of a particular region.
