Important - Tomato Blight

I received this message from Shane Van Oosterhout, director of the Ottawa County Extention, of the Master Gardener Program. I wanted to pass it on as quickly as possible. So here it is:

Dear MGVs, you've probably gotten wind (but hopefully not any spores) of the media releases of "late blight" infecting tomato plants a little earlier than usual this season. The weather conditions have been ideal for this disease and so we are seeing more of it this year. I have seen symptoms on home grown tomatoes that do indicate late blight but I have also seen symptoms of blossom end rot. Blossom end rot shows up as a dark black spot on the blossom end of the tomato and is primarily caused by nutrient deficiency brought on by stress (for most Michigan gardeners the problem begins when we plant our tomatoes in cold soil, too early). Blossom end rot will often be seen in the first tomatoes and not in the later tomatoes because the late-set tomatoes were formed when the plant has recovered from the stress. It is important not to confuse these two problems, as blossom end rot is not nearly as serious and usually does not require the removal of the plant. Late blight is serious, incurable, and requires a preventative approach. Infected tomatoes should be removed immediately and sealed in a bag and disposed of. Infected plants that are not removed and disposed of will continue to release spores that will infect other tomatoes. It is possible that late blight will be a considerable problem especially for organic growers.

Read the following release from Ohio State University for more information on late blight:

COLUMBUS, Ohio Following the confirmation of late blight at an Ohio garden center on June 25 and last weekâ€™s wet, cool weather conditions which create a favorable environment for the spread of the fungal pathogen that causes this potentially devastating disease of tomatoes and potatoes gardeners across the state are now wondering if their backyard crops may be infected and what to do about it.

Responsible for the Irish potato famine of the 1840s, late blight has caused widespread crop damage across the United States and Canada since 1990. If left unmanaged, this disease which is transmitted via spores can result in complete destruction of tomato or potato plants.

The disease has been found in only a few gardens in Ohio so far, but the number of inquiries from home gardeners and farmers is starting to increase, said Nancy Taylor, director of Ohio State Universityâ€™s C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic in Columbus.

Late blight thrives under weather conditions such as those that prevailed in most of Ohio this week: nights in the 50s F and days in the 70s F, accompanied by rain, fog or heavy dew, said Sally Miller, a plant pathologist and vegetable crops specialist with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and Ohio State University Extension.

Under those conditions, lesions may appear on leaves within three to five days of infection, followed by white mold growth soon after. Spores formed on the mold are spread readily by irrigation, rain and equipment. These spores can also be easily dislodged by wind and rain and can be blown into neighboring gardens or fields within five to 10 miles or more, beginning another cycle of disease.

â€œThis disease is likely to affect a lot of home gardens,â€� Miller explained. â€œIf gardeners donâ€™t control it well, a lot of inoculum (spores) may be floating around if weather conditions (cool and wet) favor the disease. This inoculum can be a threat to commercial tomato and potato producers as well.â€�

The current outbreak was first reported on tomato plants sold at garden centers and on tomatoes at home gardens and farms in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania; it was also found on potatoes from Pennsylvania. Because infested tomato plants were traced to a garden center chain that has numerous stores across Ohio and the country, diseased plants may have already turned up in peopleâ€™s vegetable gardens.

What to look for?

Late blight appears on potato or tomato leaves as pale-green, water-soaked spots, often beginning at leaf tips or edges. The circular or irregular leaf lesions are often surrounded by a pale yellowish-green border that merges with healthy tissue. Lesions enlarge rapidly and turn dark brown to purplish-black.

During periods of high humidity and leaf wetness, a cottony, white mold growth is usually visible on lower leaf surfaces at the edges of lesions. In dry weather, infected leaf tissues quickly dry up and the white mold growth disappears. Infected areas on stems appear brown to black, and entire vines may be killed in a short time when moist weather persists.

On potato tubers, late blight appears as a shallow, coppery-brown, dry rot that spreads irregularly from the surface through the outer 1/8-1/2 inch or more of tissue. On tuber surfaces, lesions appear brown, dry and sunken, while infected tissues immediately beneath the skin appear granular and tan to copper-brown.

Late blight can also develop on green tomato fruit, resulting in large, firm, brown, leathery-appearing lesions, often concentrated on the sides or upper fruit surfaces. If conditions remain moist, abundant white mold growth will develop on the lesions and secondary soft-rot bacteria may follow, resulting in a slimy, wet rot of the entire fruit.

What to do?

If late blight is found in your garden, destroy plants already infected pulling out the entire plant, placing it immediately in a plastic bag, and disposing of the closed bag in the garbage. Miller and Taylor advised against putting infected plants on a compost pile or in a composter, or leaving them lying around. â€œLive plant tissues serve as a source of inoculum, and uprooted plants may support active spores of the pathogen for some time,â€� Miller pointed out.

Healthy-looking plants should be protected with a fungicide. Conventional gardeners can use fungicides containing chlorothalanil or copper; several brands are available in garden centers and other retail outlets. Organic gardeners can use copper-based fungicides; several OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute)-approved copper-based fungicides and formulations are available.

Source:

Nancy Taylor, C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic, Ohio State University

I hope that this may answer some of the questions and problems associated with your tomato crop.

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