The main objective of this article is to provide information about 9 of the most common disease in tomato plants and how to identify and control them.

As tomato growers and farmers, you are always on the lookout for new ways to identify and control diseases in your tomatoes. To monitor diseases, it is important for you to have complete knowledge about them.

It is a fact that some diseases are not easily visible because they are caused by microorganisms that are invisible to the naked eye. These microorganisms can be found in different areas of the plants including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. 

Overview of Tomato:

The tomato, a type of berry known scientifically as Solanum lycopersicum, is a popular ingredient in cooking and hails from western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Aztecs were already using tomatoes in their cuisine prior to the arrival of the Spanish, who then brought the plant to Europe during the Columbian exchange. From Europe, the tomato spread to other parts of the world in the 16th century.

Not only is it a delicious ingredient, but it’s also a significant source of umami flavor. Tomatoes can be consumed in various ways: raw or cooked, in dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. Although tomatoes are classified as fruits, they are often used as a vegetable in cooking.

There are numerous varieties of tomato plants, which can be grown in temperate climates around the world, and thanks to greenhouses, they can be produced all year round. The plants typically grow to a height of 1-3 meters and are vines that have a weak stems and require support. Indeterminate tomato plants are perennials in their natural habitat but grown as annuals, while determinate or bush plants are annuals that stop growing at a certain height and produce a crop all at once. The size of the tomato can vary depending on the cultivar, with a range of 1-10 cm in width.

Below Are Described About The 9 Common Disease in Tomato Plants And Control Techniques…

1. Blossom End Rot Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of Blossom. Image

What is Blossom End Rot?

Blossom end rot of tomato is a physiological disease that causes the tissue of the blossom end of the fruit to break down and rot against the stem, resulting in reduced yield.

What Are The Symptoms of Blossom End Rot Disease?

• • The prevalence of this disease is observed when nutrient uptake is insufficient and calcium translocation is low. 
  • Sometimes water-soaked spots are formed on the edges of the fruit and gradually turn black.

How To Control Blossom End Rot Disease?

• • Providing balanced irrigation. Avoid using too much or too little water.
  • Use mulching to retain soil moisture during the dry season.
  • While tilling the soil, care should be taken not to damage the roots.
  • Use the nitrate (NO3) form of nitrogen fertilizer.
  • In the case of red soil or acidic soil application of 4 kg dolomite /435.60 sq. ft gives good results.

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2. White Mold Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of White Mold.

Night temperatures of about 60°F are favorable for infection. Spores are more likely to infect tomato plants if there are 16-72 hours of continuous humidity with 90% relative humidity.

Fungal spores from infected plant debris and tomato-associated weeds spread to newly planted tomato plants and cause re-disease.

Symptoms of White Mold Disease:

• • This disease is caused by fungal attacks.
  • A white cotton-like substance is seen on leaf buds, stems, and fruits.
  • It is not a fatal disease of tomatoes.

How to Control White Mold Disease?

• • Sprinkler irrigation instead of flood irrigation.
  • Removal of affected fruits, leaves, and tips.
  • Prepare the land by deep plowing before planting the seeds.
  • Propiconazole group fungicides such as Tilt 250 EC mixed with 0.5 ml / L of water and sprayed 3 times consecutively at an interval of 10 days.

3. Root grub / Root-knot Nematode Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of Root Grub.

This is a very important disease among the 9 common diseases in tomato plants. Due to this, the growth of the plant is reduced.

Causes:

The disease is caused by worms called Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne javanica.

Symptoms of Root grub / Root-knot Nematode Disease:

• • If the plant is attacked by the worm early in its growth and the infestation is heavy, the plant becomes stunted and short.
  • The leaves are yellowish-green to yellow in color. In many cases, the leaves drop suddenly.
  • The most noticeable feature to recognize this disease is that when the tree is lifted, numerous small and large knots can be seen on the roots.
  • Usually, the cells in the affected area grow rapidly and form knots.
  • The ability of the plant to bear flowers is severely reduced and as a result, may not be borne at all.

[You Can Read:
The Best Treatment of Potato Blight Disease.]

How I Can Control Root grub / Root-knot Nematode Disease?

• • 5 tonnes of semi-rotted chicken manure per hectare should be applied to the land at least 21 days before planting and mixed well with the soil through irrigation.
  • Apply stable bleaching powder to the soil at the rate of 20 kg/ha at the time of final tillage.
  • Application of Furadan 5G (Anthelmintic) at the rate of 25 kg/ha at the time of transplanting or final tillage.

4. Leaf Curl Virus Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of Leaf Carl Virus. Image Source: SAU

The Cause of Leaf Carl Virus:

This disease is caused by the attack of the Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV). Transmission of the virus by whitefly.

What are The Symptoms of Leaf Carl Virus on Tomatoes?

• • Affected plants are stunted.
  • Wave-like folds are formed on the leaves and leaves become severely curled.
  • Older leaves become thickly wrinkled.
  • If the attack is heavy, the leaves die.
  • Plants develop excessive branching and loose flower and fruit-bearing capacity.
  • Folds from leaf margin towards midvein.
  • Leaves become shriveled, veins turn pale yellow and curl and leaves turn yellow.
  • The tip leaves of affected plants have small clusters.
  • The plant is stunted and the fruit is small.

How To Control Leaf Carl Virus?

• • Remove and destroy affected trees as soon as they are seen.
  • Collecting seeds from disease-free plants.
  • Use of resistant varieties.
  • Use any insecticides like Dimethoate (Perfection), Acetaf, Tiro, etc. to control the virus carriers (whiteflies).
  • Cover the seed bed with a small mesh nylon net to produce seedlings.
  • Control whitefly by applying any insecticide like Admire (1.5 ml per liter of water) at least 2 times in 12 days from one week after planting till fruiting.
  • In the initial stage, remove the affected trees and bury them in the ground.
  • Keeping the land free from weeds.

5. Bacterial Wilt Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of Bacterial wilt

Tomato wilt disease is a common and severe ailment that affects tomato plants, as well as other solanaceous crops and ornamentals in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The disease thrives in high temperatures and moist soil and can persist once established. The pathogen enters through small wounds on susceptible host plants under ideal conditions. The bacteria block the stem’s vascular tissue, cutting off water and nutrient flow, ultimately leading to the plant’s demise.

The Cause of Bacterial Wilt Disease:

Bacterial wilt is a soil-borne disease. Caused by bacteria called Ralstonia solanacearum. 

The Symptoms of Bacterial Wilt Disease:

• • The pathogen enters the plant through root wounds and propagates in water transport channels and Blocks ducts. As a result, leaves and plants become green and droop.
  • Thus the plant dies in a green state within a few days.
  • If the trunk of the diseased plant is cut with a knife 1-2 inches above the ground and placed in a clean glass of water, after 2-3 minutes white threadlike pus is seen to come out. With this method, it is easy to cure this disease Germs can be identified.

How I Can Control Bacterial Wilt Disease?

• • Pick up and destroy diseased trees on sight.
  • Crop rotation like maize, mustard, and wheat.
  • Cultivation of disease-resistant varieties.
  • Provide moderate irrigation. If this disease is caught, stop irrigation.
  • Seed and seedling treatment (streptomycin or streptomycin or vancomycin 1 g in 10 liters of water.Can be mixed and sprayed on plants.
  • Apply and mix 5 tons of half-rotted chicken manure per hectare for at least 21 days before planting. and should be well-rotted with the soil.
  • Mustard oil cake at the rate of 500 kg/ha should be applied during the last tillage of the land.
  • Ferticide Furadan 5G applied at the rate of 25 kg/ha at the time of planting or at the time of final tillage can effectively control tomato wilt and root-knot nematode.

6. Early Blight Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of Early Blight Disease of Tomatoes. Image: SAU

What is the Cause of Early Blight?

The disease is seed-borne and the germs of the disease can survive in soil and weeds for more than a year and may Later there spread through the air, water, etc. This disease is caused by the fungus called Alternaria solani.

What are The Symptoms of Early Blight Disease?

• • Tomato plants die and leaves and fruits drop due to the attack of this disease.
  • This disease is more common in mature trees. Small dark spots appear on the seedling leaves from infected seeds. Later it spread on ka- and leaves go Eventually the plant dies.
  • Older plants first develop circular spots or concentric ring-like dark spots.
  • Fruits also develop similar wrinkled brown to black ovoid spots and the affected fruits before ripening fall out.

How To Control Early Blight?

• • Sowing seeds treated with Prove or Vita 200 (2.5 g per kg seed).
  • Where the disease is frequent and frequent, the crop should be planted in the dry season if possible by changing the planting time to cultivate.
  • Using seeds collected from disease-free plants or sources.
  • Adopting crop phase.
  • If the leaves are wet for a long time, the germs of this disease increase. So do not irrigate the shower.
  • Approved fungicides such as Rovral 2 grams per liter mixed with water properly for 15 days to spray.

7. Late Blight Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of Late Blight Disease. Image: SAU

This plant disease affects various Solanum species such as eggplant, pepper, nightshade weed, and petunia. However, this common disease is particularly notorious for its devastating effects on tomato plants.

The Cause of Late Blight:

This disease is caused by the attack of the fungus called Phytophthora infestans.

The Symptoms of Late Blight:

• • Pale or pale green circular or irregular water-soaked spots on leaves.
  • The number and size of spots increase rapidly in foggy and cloudy weather.
  • Has a brown-to-black color.
  • If the attack of the disease is more, the stem and green fruits of the tree also show symptoms of the disease.
  • Within 3-4 days of disease symptoms, the tree becomes scorched and spreads rapidly in epidemic form.

How To Control Late Blight Disease?

• • Collection of healthy seeds from disease-free areas.
  • Planting healthy, vigorous, and disease-free seedlings.
  • Cultivation of disease-resistant varieties like Manik, and Rattan.
  • The moderate use of fertilizers and irrigation.
  • Following crop rotation.
  • 2 g Mancozeb + Metalaxyl (Ridomil Gold, Cormil, Metaril) fungicides mixed per liter of water and sprayed.
  • If the attack of the disease is high, spraying with 2 grams of Secure per liter of water gives good results.

8. Tomato Bushy Stunt Disease of Tomatoes:

Symptoms of Bushy Stunt. Image: SAU

What is The Cause of The Tomato Bushy Stunt Disease?

Tomato Bushy Stunt is a viral Disease. The virus is spread by insects called leafhoppers. 

The Symptoms of Tomato Bushy Stunt Disease:

• • The upper part of the plant curls. The leaves curl up and feel as thick as leather.

How I Can Control Tomato Bushy Stunt Disease?

• • Remove and destroy affected trees as soon as they are seen.
  • Collecting seeds from disease-free plants.
  • Use of resistant varieties.
  • Insect vectors (Dimethoate (Perfection) for whitefly or leafhoppers control, Acetaf, Admire, Using any pesticide like Tido, etc.

9. Tomato Fruit Cracking Problem

Symptoms of Tomato Fruit Cracking. Image: SAU

Why Do Tomatoes Fruit Crack?

Tomatoes sometimes burst due to rapid temperature changes, sudden irrigation after extreme water deficit, or plant physiology. This makes tomatoes unfit for consumption. Generally, fruit cracking is most common on large tomatoes. 

Symptoms of Tomato Fruit Crack:

Cracks usually appear at the top or stem end of the fruit.

How To Control Tomato Fruit Cracking?

• • Regular irrigation of the land.
  • Use balanced fertilizers.
  • Planting seedlings at the proper distance.
  • Do not suddenly apply irrigation to the land during drought.
  • Sow seeds early.
  • Check soil moisture regularly and irrigate.

Conclusion:

The above described Common Disease in tomato plants is caused by various types of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that affect them. Optimal detection and integrated prevention of these diseases are discussed, Which is field tested. Regularly inspect your tomato garden and take preventative measures. You can get a completely free consultation by sending the desired disease sample to our expert team.