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Tomatoe fungal infection. #864608

Asked April 15, 2024, 2:24 PM EDT

Hello, I have had problems with a fungal infection for the last 6 years, getting worse each year. The crop starts fine. The plants grow well in the first weeks, setting fruit as expected. The issue starts quite sparce, with yellow spots and edges forming on foilage on 1 or 2 limbs. Left untrimmed, it progresses to brown and turns brittle. It spreads to the entire plant over about a week if not removed. It does not immediately impact the fruit, but strips all foliage, causing sun burn and undersized fruit. The plants eventually die. I don't have good pictures. I have lost my entire crop each of the last 4 yrs. I have tried straw and plastic mulch minimize soil contamination on the foilage. I have tried lime and various fungicide, as well as some biological. It has limited impact on pepper plants and green beans. I am planning to give up the garden this year, otlr move to containers to get away from the soil. Is there any help you can provide?

Washtenaw County Michigan

Expert Response

Mike - take a look at the pictures in the article below and possibly you can identify the culprit of your challenges.

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/tomato-diseases-disorders/

Some things we would suggest:

1).  Select or start from see tomato plants that are marked as disease resistant (usually on the tag you will see letters indicating disease resistance.  (For example F=Fusarium Wilt).  See the article below on some varieties that have been hybridized to be disease resistant.

https://www.vegetables.cornell.edu/pest-management/disease-factsheets/disease-resistant-vegetable-varieties/disease-resistant-tomato-varieties/

2).  Make sure to space your tomatoes far enough apart so that when they are full size there is plenty of air space around them.   Don't let the leaves touch the ground.  Prune off lower leaves ones plants start growing.

3).  Water at the base of the plant instead of overhead.  

4).  Make sure the plants receive at least 5 hours (or more) of full sun a day

6).  Depending upon the disease, regularly apply a fungicide as a preventive measure

7).  If you haven't done so already, get your soil tested to determine the health of your soil and find out what you can do to improve the growing conditions for the plants to resist the disease.  MSU offers a soil test kit with everything you need for $26.  The kit can be ordered from the MSU bookstore or you can stop in an pick one up at your local MSU Extension office. See the link below.

https://homesoiltest.msu.edu/get-started

Hope that helps!

Diane - MSU Advanced Extension Master Gardener Replied April 16, 2024, 3:16 PM EDT

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