Anthracnose: Should I Pull the Plant? - Ask Extension
My Roma tomato plant has anthracnose. Should I uproot the plant or will some sort of treatment save it? I've discarded all infected tomatoes.
And...
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Anthracnose: Should I Pull the Plant? #672143
Asked August 03, 2020, 8:44 AM EDT
My Roma tomato plant has anthracnose. Should I uproot the plant or will some sort of treatment save it? I've discarded all infected tomatoes.
And a related question: the Roma is in a planter bed under the dripline of my ornamental cherry which is suffering from shothole disease. Its leaves fall in the planter box. Since both are fungal diseases, could the fallen leaves have caused the anthracnose or is that just a coincidence?
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
This looks like anthracnose, a very common fungal pathogen that infects ripening tomato, pepper, and other vegetables. The affected fruits are safe to eat. Cut out any rotted spots and use the tomatoes or they will rot quickly.
Harvest tomatoes when they first start to turn color (e.g., green to red or green to yellow) and allow them to ripen on a kitchen counter. They will taste the same and you will have avoided the many dangers facing ripening tomatoes on the vine- insect injury, diseases, cracking/splitting, sunburn, etc.
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/anthracnose-vegetables
If your plants are continuing to produce, you can leave and harvest the fruits as soon as they turn color. Otherwise, remove the plant. There is no treatment.
Take a look at our web page on reasons for yellowing including drought or waterlogged soil, lack of nutrients, disease issues, environmental stress, etc.
and our page on tomatoes including care, fertilizing, etc. and our recent blog https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/yellowing-leaves-vegetables
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/tomatoes
https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2020/06/19/tomato-tips-2020/
The cherry shot hole on the cherry tree is not related to the anthracnose. Here is more on cherry shot hole. Remove any fallen leaves and discard. https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/cherry-shot-hole-flowering-cherries
Marian
Harvest tomatoes when they first start to turn color (e.g., green to red or green to yellow) and allow them to ripen on a kitchen counter. They will taste the same and you will have avoided the many dangers facing ripening tomatoes on the vine- insect injury, diseases, cracking/splitting, sunburn, etc.
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/anthracnose-vegetables
If your plants are continuing to produce, you can leave and harvest the fruits as soon as they turn color. Otherwise, remove the plant. There is no treatment.
Take a look at our web page on reasons for yellowing including drought or waterlogged soil, lack of nutrients, disease issues, environmental stress, etc.
and our page on tomatoes including care, fertilizing, etc. and our recent blog https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/yellowing-leaves-vegetables
https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/tomatoes
https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2020/06/19/tomato-tips-2020/
The cherry shot hole on the cherry tree is not related to the anthracnose. Here is more on cherry shot hole. Remove any fallen leaves and discard. https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/cherry-shot-hole-flowering-cherries
Marian
