Fusarium Tomato Wilting

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Fusarium wilt of tomato is also called tracheomycosis. This disease is highly harmful in the case of tomato monoculture in greenhouses, as well as in the absence of soil replacement and steaming. Although, if tomatoes are permanently grown in the open field, fusarium wilting will also not keep itself waiting long. Most of the tomato leaves wither when affected by this scourge, as a result of which crops often die

A few words about the disease

Fusarium wilting immediately manifests itself on the affected tomatoes by yellowing of the lower leaves. In this case, the leaves become chlorotic, which distinguishes fusarium wilt from verticillary wilt. Then, as the disease develops, wilting rises higher along the stems. This happens gradually - first, the tops of the shoots are slightly tied, and then the petioles are deformed and the leaf blades are twisted. And on the transverse sections that have turned brown in the lower parts of the stems, you can see the vascular rings, painted in brownish tones. If the sections are placed in rather humid conditions, then after 24 - 48 hours a delicate mycelium of whitish shades will begin to emerge from the affected vessels. In the petioles, as well as in the upper parts of the stems, when damaged by Fusarium wilting, vascular necrosis occurs. It is noteworthy that in hot weather, the severity of the symptoms of this misfortune increases markedly.

There are two ways of infecting tomatoes with the most unpleasant misfortune. In the first case, the vegetation is infected through mechanical damage on the roots. The soil will be a constant source of infection in this situation - the chlamydospores of the pathogen are easily stored in it for several years. Unsteamed soil in seedling greenhouses is especially dangerous. Tomatoes grown by direct sowing are much less likely to suffer from such a devastating disease. The second option for infecting tomatoes is through seeds. At the same time, the causative agent begins to germinate inside the tissues of young cultures and subsequently develops with them. And when the plants begin to weaken at the stage of fruit formation, the activating pathogen quickly causes them to wilt.

The development of fusarium wilting is favored by the temperature of the soil and air in the region of 28 degrees, as well as low illumination and a rather short daylight hours. Depending on environmental conditions, tomato varieties, crop age and soil composition, the incubation period can range from seven to thirty days.

How to fight

When cultivating tomatoes, it is important to follow the rules for their cultivation and agrotechnical standards. We should not forget about the rules of crop rotation.

It is better to take seeds for sowing only from proven healthy crops. Seed infection can be eliminated by warming the seeds before sowing and dressing them with fungicides. The cultivation of tomato hybrids and varieties resistant to fusarium wilt will also serve well. These are Senzafin, Santiago F1, Monica, Erato F1, Raisa and Chibli F1.

To a significant extent to reduce the infestation of tomatoes, not only in the early period, but also in adulthood, it helps to introduce them before planting in a permanent place in the ground, as well as in a seedling mixture of a mushroom preparation called "Trichodermin".

Every ten days, tomato beds are inspected for damage to crops by fusarium wilting. Sick specimens must be removed immediately. Greenhouses in which tomatoes are grown must be systematically ventilated. At the fruiting stage of tomatoes, the amount of applied potash fertilizers is also increased, while reducing the dosage of nitrogen fertilizers.

For preventive purposes, the vegetation is watered after planting in the ground with a solution of "Pseudobacterin-2". About 100 ml of this preparation is consumed per plant.

During the growing season, soil shedding and spraying of plants with drugs belonging to the benzimidazole group ("Fundazol" or "Benazole") helps to restrain the development of fusarium wilting. Such spraying is carried out immediately, as soon as symptoms of the disease are detected. You can also pickle seeds with these drugs - such pickling is carried out fifteen days before sowing.