Blight on tomato plants causes them to die back near the base of the plant, resulting in dead leaves at ground level, which can be seen easily. Tomatoes are susceptible to stress due to diseases such as blight caused by fungi, especially when growing under warm conditions during the summer months. In general, tomatoes prefer acidic soil with low levels of nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied during vegetative growth stages however, some varieties may prefer higher levels than others (Gralinski et al. Tomato plants need warm soil temperatures between 20☌ and 30☌ (68☏ and 86☏) with at least 6 hours of sunlight a day for optimal growth rates throughout their lifecycle (Flannigan & Sloane 1998). When growing tomatoes, it is important to ensure that they are planted at the right time of year for their area of origin and climate conditions (i.e., early spring or late summer). It quickly spread throughout Europe and was later introduced to North America by Spanish colonists. It was first cultivated in Mexico and Central America before spreading to Spain during the 16th century. The species is believed to have originated in South America. It is grown in a variety of ways, including as an annual or biennial plant, as a vine or as a perennial herb. Use clean pruning shears sterilized with alcohol after each cut to avoid contaminating health plants.Īfter that, treat with Bordeaux mixture and repeat this surveillance on a regular basis until about 2 weeks before harvesting the tomatoes.Īnother solution is to treat with baking soda soap spray: 1 table spoon baking soda and 1 table spoon liquid beldi soap for 1 quart (1 liter) water.The tomato is a popular fruit and vegetable crop in many parts of the world. Observing your plants very regularly is the best manner to keep downy mildew from spreading.Īs soon as black or brown spots appear on the leaves, remove and destroy them to eliminate any trace of the fungus. Treating tomato blight and downy mildewĪs of today, there is no curative treatment against downy mildew. Plants touching the ground will potentially be infected with mildew. Soil propagates diseases and fungus such as downy mildew very well. Lastly, do all you can to avoid having leaves or fruits touching the soil. When watering, never wet the leaves: only bring water to the foot of the plant. Downy mildew spreads along wet leaves, so the longer they stay wet, the higher the risk of becoming contaminated by the tomato blight. Tightly packed tomato plants lead to a closed, stuffy environment that is exactly what downy mildew needs to grow. ![]() If air circulates well, you will guarantee quicker drying of leaves. Most important to avoid tomato blight is to space tomato plants well apart. If not treated, the disease can spread to an entire crop in just days and destroy the harvest. Once contaminated, tomato plant leaves start to blacken. ![]() Tomato blight is a fungus with latin name Phytophthora infestans that results in a devastating fungal disease related to downy mildew.Īs for all mushrooms, two factors meet to provide the most favorable conditions to its growth: heat and moisture. Another tomato pathogen – tomato leaf spot.Here is how to avoid this blight and treat this disease with organic techniques. ![]() Tomato late blight is one of the most devastating diseases because downy mildew spreads extremely quickly.Īs soon as black spots appear on leaves, you should prepare for this worst of tomato blight, the late tomato blight
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