Tomato leaves are turning brown, what should I do? How to save the harvest: what to do if tomato leaves dry out

When growing tomatoes, a vegetable grower may encounter unforeseen circumstances at any stage of the growing season. Microorganisms and. They are waiting for the moment when conditions external environment will be optimal for their development, and the plant’s immunity is weakened.

The vegetable grower’s task is to do everything in his power to prevent the development of a pathogenic factor, but it happens in different ways and until recently a healthy plant becomes covered with brown spots.

Causes of disease development

Spots on tomato leaves are not a death sentence for the plant. In most cases, he can be helped, but you should not delay treatment.

Tomato is a heat-loving and tender crop. In addition, there are many varieties and hybrids that are not resistant to diseases, and when choosing just such (in pursuit of taste, shape, yield), you need to be doubly attentive to the tomato plant.

The following can reduce the immunity of a plant organism:

• high humidity;
• sudden changes in night and day temperatures;
• lack of ground moisture;
• crowded plantings;
• underfeeding or overfeeding with nitrogenous fertilizers.

Attention to seedlings

Sometimes leaves on seedlings die immediately after planting in a permanent place. This is a burn; such leaves must be removed so that diseases do not affect weakened plants.

The yield, taste, size of the fruit, as well as whether the plant will show all its biological power depend on how the seedling period goes.

Vegetable growers are very afraid black leg. Indeed, this disease destroys many seedlings, but before planting open ground tomatoes lie in wait and .

Causes of brown spots on tomato leaves

Let's look at the main diseases.

Alternaria blight

The disease is caused by a microscopic fungus - Alternaria.

It is everywhere, but for development it needs:

• high humidity;
• crowded plantings;
• cool night temperatures.

These are precisely the conditions that are created by vegetable growers when there is insufficient acreage. If the window sills are small, and you need a lot of seedlings, and you don’t want them to stretch out at all, then after a while the fungus will begin to develop.

You can't miss the moment . It is necessary to take a closer look at the lower leaves and if dark brown spots are noticeable, take action.

Delay will cause brown spots to spread to the central shoot, and then to the upper leaf plates.

The current method of combating fungal diseases is to treat tomato bushes with fungicides.

To correct the situation you need:

• reduce humidity;
• defuse the crops using the planting method;
• Treat all seedlings with “fast” fungicidal preparations (“ Thanos 50 », « Quadris 250 SC »).

Macrosporiasis (septoria)

This disease is also fungal; it will appear on the leaves as white spots with a brown edge, which will gradually “take over” the entire plant.

White spot is characterized by gray-white spots that begin to appear on the lower foliage.

White spot also likes humidity and crowding, but requires warmer temperatures to thrive.

To disinfect the pathogen quickly, you should:

• reduce humidity levels;
• lower the temperature (keep within 18–19 ᵒС );
• thin out crops for better air exchange;
• treat the seedlings with one of the fungicidal preparations (“ Revus», « Thanos »).

Spots on an adult plant

Growing good seedlings does not mean getting a good harvest. On the way to juicy and ripe fruits, the plant is also beset by diseases that manifest themselves as spots on the leaves, interfering with the processes of photosynthesis.

In order for the treatment of tomatoes to be successful, it is necessary to thoroughly know all known diseases.

When figuring out the cause of spotting, you need to keep in mind that the cause may be:

• mushrooms;
• viruses
• bacteria.

Fungal infections

Every gardener has probably encountered a problem that starts from the tips of the leaves and moves to the stems and fruits.

Microscopic fungi cause the greatest harm to tomato plants. If during the seedling period Alternaria only partially destroys the plant, then when large leaves The spore “capture” area is larger, and the plant catches the disease faster.

In a greenhouse where the humidity is higher, the period of re-infection is halved, and the plants begin to “burn”. Initially, the round spots merge and the leaf dries out completely.

To help the plant you can use:

• « Trichodermin »;
• « Quadris »;
• « Arobat MC ».

When processing, you should take into account the multiplicity and after 15–17 days, be sure to spray again.

Olive spot

Cladosporiosis is a fungal disease that is easily carried by the wind and does not die from frost.

The causative agent of olive spot or cladosporiosis , also forms spots on the leaves and the tomatoes already stop growing, and the fruits, without gaining marketable weight, begin to ripen.

For this disease you can use:

• "Polyram";
• "Home";
• "Fitosporin-M";
• "Pseudobacterin-2"

Askohit

The pathogen affects stems and leaf blades, less often flowers and fruits.

The ascochit mushroom also brings trouble.

It does not pose a danger to tomatoes in open ground, but in protected ground it causes browning of the leaves and damage to the shoots.

To prevent the disease, you can treat with the drugs “Poliram”, “Trichodermin”.

Brown spots on the lower parts of the shoots

If brown spots are found on the lower parts of the shoots, and they quickly “go” upward, you need to be wary of verticillium. There is no escape from this disease, but modern varieties are already resistant to the enemy.

Plants affected by Verticillium wilt should be burned!

If browning is preceded by a white coating, then. In this case, you can use the following means: “ Baktofit », « Topaz », « Byleton ».

Bacterial problems

Bacteria are no less dangerous than fungi.

To combat bacteria, biological preparations can be used.

If you notice small, initially watery, then black spots on the leaves, you should suspect bacterial black spot. “Squatting” on the stalk, the pathogen quickly infects the tissue and the ovary falls off. By applying " Baktofit», « Hom" or " Planriz“You can quickly stop the disease.

If a visible lesion affects only one part of the leaf, then it should be assumed that the pathogen is moving through the vascular system and this is a bacterial cancer. Over time, it will reach the second part of the leaf and then it will become spotted. You can save the plant by using “ Fitolavin-300».

Viral diseases

The most dangerous lesion is produced by the tobacco mosaic virus. There is no escape from the virus, and on the leaves it appears as a mosaic spotting and wrinkling. The fruits stop setting and the plant stops growing.

It is almost impossible to fight viruses. Plant loss may be within 50–60% , and those that survive will show almost no yield.

How to prevent stains from appearing? Prevention

It is almost impossible to predict what will happen to tomatoes this or next season. However, you can remember what they suffered from in the past and draw conclusions.

The causative agents of many diseases live in greenhouses and hothouses for decades and wait for years for suitable conditions for their growth and development. Sectioners around the world are working not only to improve taste and yield, but also to improve plant resistance to disease.

When selecting varieties and hybrids, give preference to the most resistant ones:

• • For TMV, cladosporiosis, verticillium and fusarium in previous seasons, it is better to sow “ Chersonesos F1 », « Partner Semko »;

• If bacterial leaf spot is rampant, then the most resistant is considered to be “ Semko 2010 »;
• Resists Alternaria and Fusarium, as well as bacteriosis and TMV " Voyage F1 »;

When choosing varieties, carefully read the information, and if it is missing, give preference to another.

When choosing between a variety and a hybrid, with regard to diseases, only hybrids are resistant.

You should not trust “folk” methods. Decoctions and infusions, milk, whey, etc. do not have the desired effect and have neither therapeutic nor preventive properties.

Take a closer look at the plants. Timely detection of the slightest spots will allow you to take quick measures and prevent the loss of foliage, and with it the tomato harvest.

When something is wrong with seedlings or adult tomato plants, the summer resident is inclined to blame diseases and pests for all the troubles. However, in some cases, a stunted appearance, unusual coloring of leaves and dryness of their edges are symptoms of a lack of certain nutrients in the soil.

Therefore, before starting a holy war for the harvest with microbes and bugs, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the reference table “Nutritional Deficiency in Tomatoes”. For clarity, the table is provided with photographs, as well as detailed descriptions external signs plant starvation.

Reference table “Nutrient deficiencies in tomatoes”

Item and photo	Signs of Deficiency	How to fix
	Tomatoes burn at the edges, old leaves turn yellow and fall off. Plants stretch out, look stunted, leaves become smaller, acquire a light green color with a yellowish tint, and the stem becomes soft. The veins on the underside of the leaf are reddish-bluish in color.	Feed the tomatoes with nitrogen fertilizer, for example, urea (1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water).
	The leaves and stems of tomatoes darken to a dark green color with a blue tint, the lower part of old leaves acquires a purple tint. The leaves curl inward, the stem becomes stiff and brittle, and the roots wither. The leaves and stem may turn purple. The leaves rise up and are pressed against the stem.	Feed the tomatoes with phosphorus-containing fertilizer. To prepare the fertilizer, pour 1 liter of boiling water into 1 cup of superphosphate and leave to steep for 8-12 hours. Dilute the resulting infusion in 10 liters of water and pour half a liter of fertilizer under each bush.
	Young tomato leaves roll up inside a tube - they become curly, and old leaves turn yellow and dry out at the edges. First, the leaves darken, then yellow-brown spots appear along the edges, which gradually grow, forming a border.	Fertilizing with potassium nitrate (1 tablespoon of fertilizer per 10 liters of water) half a liter of solution per bush, spraying the leaves with a solution of potassium chloride (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water).
Magnesium (Mg) deficiency	Tomato leaves curl upward and begin to turn yellow between the veins.	Foliar feeding (spraying on the leaves) with a solution of magnesium nitrate (1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water) or Epsom salt diluted in the same proportion helps well.
Zinc deficiency (Zn)	Gray-brown spots of different sizes appear on tomato leaves, the veins get into the spots, the edges of the leaves curl upward, the leaves begin to dry out and die. Newly formed leaves become unnaturally small and may be covered with yellow specks.	Apply foliar feeding with a solution of zinc sulfate (5 grams per 10 liters of water).
Molybdenum (Mo) deficiency	The leaves lighten, turn yellow, and the edges curl upward. Yellow specks appear between the veins of the leaf, but the veins themselves are not affected.	Molybdenum deficiency is rare. But if all the signs point to it, you can feed the tomatoes with a 0.02% solution of ammonium molybdate (2 grams per 10 liters of water).
Calcium deficiency (Ca)	Young leaves seem to be scorched at the tips, and light yellow spots appear on them. The color of old leaves, on the contrary, becomes dark green. Top rot appears on the fruit - the top turns black and dries out.	Foliar feeding with calcium nitrate (20 grams per 10 liters of water) is recommended.
	Flowers fall off without producing fruit. The tops of the plants curl downwards, the upper leaves become light green, curling from the tip to the base. The main veins of the leaves darken. The leaf becomes brittle. Many stepsons are formed, and the main growth point dies.	Most often, boron deficiency manifests itself in the inability of the plant to set fruit. Therefore, during flowering, it is recommended to spray the leaves with a solution of boric acid (5 grams per 10 liters of water).
	Signs of sulfur deficiency are similar to the symptoms of nitrogen starvation: pale green leaf color turning yellow, red-blue veins. But sulfur deficiency will appear first on young leaves (with nitrogen the opposite is true). The stem of the plant also becomes thinner - it becomes brittle, brittle, and woody.	Foliar feeding with magnesium sulfate (1 gram per 1 liter of water) helps.
Iron (Fe) deficiency	The leaves turn green-yellow, lemon-yellow, yellow or even white from the base. The veins remain green. The top of the plant turns yellow. The bush slows down its growth.	Foliar fertilizing with iron sulfate (5 grams per 10 liters of water) is recommended.
Copper (Cu) deficiency	The leaves look limp, curl inward into a tube, and turn white at the tips. Young leaves become smaller and acquire a blue-green tint. The shoots become weak, the flowers are dropped.	Spray the leaves with a solution of copper sulfate (1-2 grams per 10 liters of water).
Manganese (Mn) deficiency	Young leaves begin to turn yellow from the base, and the veins have an uneven color. The leaf becomes variegated and mosaic.	It can be eliminated by foliar feeding with a solution of manganese sulfate at the rate of 5 grams per 10 liters of water.
Lack of chlorine (Cl)	Young leaves are underdeveloped irregular shape, with yellow spots between the veins. The upper leaves may wilt.	A lack of chlorine in tomatoes is quite rare and can be eliminated by spraying the leaves with a solution of potassium chloride (1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water).

It is important to know that a deficiency of elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and zinc first manifests itself on the formed lower leaves of the bush, and the deficiency of all other microelements is most noticeable on young apical leaves and shoots.

If you do not want to use mineral fertilizers when growing tomatoes, then take note:

• as nitrogen fertilizing You can use mullein infusion, chicken manure infusion, granulated vermicompost and compost;
• To provide plants with potassium and phosphorus, you can carry out root and foliar feeding with wood ash, as well as humate-based fertilizers;
• to increase the amount of calcium in the soil, you need to add crushed eggshells to the soil;
• If there is a shortage of copper, you can stick a piece of copper wire next to the tomato bush.

We wish you success and great harvests!

Any garden owner who decides to start growing tomatoes sooner or later faces the problem of their disease. Leaves may become covered with black spots, curl, turn yellow, or even begin to dry out. There is a sufficient variety of diseases and pests that can short time destroy seedlings or every single tomato bush. It is worth learning about this more closely to preserve the future harvest.

Chloratic leaf curl of tomatoes

Appears as yellow or light green leaves chloratic type. The plant becomes stunted with a curly top. The manifestation of the disease is facilitated by the tobacco mosaic virus or tobacco necrosis. Spreads through contaminated soil.

Treatment requires removing diseased bushes and disinfecting the ground.

Gray mold is a dangerous disease destroying all tomato bushes at once. This is a fungal disease that occurs with the presence of brown, weeping spots. They are brown to gray in color, dry at first, then slippery.

Starting from the stem, the fungus can cover the entire plant overnight. The first places susceptible to the disease are places where the plant is wounded (leaf scraps or tied with supports).

The disease begins in cool weather and constant rain. If the seedlings are in a greenhouse, it occurs from poorly ventilated air and high humidity.

Treatment should begin immediately, but the weather should be sunny. Control method: remove diseased leaves so that the fungus does not go into the trunk of the plant. It is advisable to avoid watering at this time.

A preventive method would be spraying with an infusion of crushed garlic infused in water, in a ratio of 30 g per 10 liters. There may also be chemical methods of protection: Multi, Euparen, Bayleton.

A fungal disease that affects the leaves and stems of tomatoes is called septoria or white spot.

First, the leaves of the plant below, near the ground, wither and dry out. Then light-colored spots form on them, which over time become brown with a black dot in the middle. After which the leaf disappears.

For this purpose it assists presence of high humidity. Not transmitted by seeds.

Treatment will require remove infected leaves, even if it means cutting them all off. Also, in preventive methods, treat with copper oxychloride, Tsinab, Horus.

The main sign of the disease is the presence of a “black leg” in seedlings or plants. Happening due to poorly cultivated soil(not sterile, high humidity). The losses may not be large.

Root rot can be removed by replacing the soil in the greenhouse; for open ground, treating seedlings and soil with disinfectants.

For the best effect, when loosening, sprinkle the soil with coarse sand from the river.

The first signs of tomato stem necrosis are presence of cracks in the stem I, with the subsequent formation of aerial roots in them. Appears on an already formed bush with the first clusters of fruits.

A plant with such a disease dies completely. The root cause is contaminated seeds, as well as soil.

To protect other bushes, infected ones must be removed and burned. For soil treatment, the use of Fitolavin-300 is required.

The disease spreads sharply and overnight and can destroy many bushes at once. It appears as a void in the stem and the presence of liquid in it. Sectional color is brown.

Heal does not seem possible. It must be removed and burned immediately.

Treat the remaining, uninfected bushes, as well as other nearby plants, with a solution of Fitolovin 300 (0.6-1%). For each plant, no less than 200 ml of solution. It is impossible to cure infected bushes, but it will protect healthy plants.

Phoma or brown rot affects the tomato itself at any ripeness.

Characterized by the presence of a brown spot near the stalk. When cut open, all the flesh is rotten. Infected fruits fall off the stem on their own. Illness occurs due to the large amount of fresh manure in the ground.

It can be treated by treating with the plant Fundazol or Zaslon. Soil - copper sulfate.

Mosaic infection occurs mainly in old varieties of tomatoes; 2-3 year old varieties are less affected. Characterized by the presence of yellow or green spots in the shape of a mosaic. Then they curl and wrinkle. The bush dries out completely. You can rub up to 15% of the crop.

Since the main reason for the occurrence of mosaics is seed infection, which means they should be processed before planting.

Dead bushes are burned. Young ones are treated with milk (low-fat) in a ratio of 1:10 liters with the addition of 1 tsp. urea. Processing required 3 times a month.

Alternaria or macrosporiosis (brown or dry spotting)

This fungal disease is characterized by the presence large round spots located on the bottom sheets. Then they rise higher and move onto the fruits, in the form of a brown spot at the base. With high humidity and high temperatures, sporulation mushrooms begin to appear.

Preventive methods require spraying tomatoes with antifungal drugs. When the disease appears when the fruits are already ripe, treatment with biological products is required.

The most common and well-known is a disease called late blight. It affects bushes both in open ground and in greenhouses. A favorable environment for it will be a sharp change in temperature and high humidity.

Characterized by blackening of leaves with a faint white coating. The fruits have brown spots that grow quickly. Sick bushes should be destroyed immediately.

If you constantly take preventive measures, the disease will not harm the crop.

This will require spraying the bushes once a week with whey. Created acidic environment kills the fungus. Chemical preparations such as: Barrier, Fitosporin, Barrier are also suitable.

Brown olive spot (cladosporiosis)

Cladosparia is also a type of fungal disease. Mostly they get sick greenhouse types of tomatoes. Initially, the leaf of the bush suffers: it becomes covered with chlorotic yellow spots, merging into a large spot.

Fungal spores appear under the leaf, manifesting themselves velvety brown coating. The disease develops at the stage of tomato flowering and fruit appearance. The sooner it appears, the worse it is for tomato bushes. At high temperature infection occurs quickly.

Rarely does the fungus spread to fruit. If this happens, the fruit acquires a soft brown consistency. Watering cold water and temperature changes will provoke this disease.

Copper-containing drugs will help fight: Barrier, Barrier, Bordeaux mixture.

Blackleg

Blackleg is expressed in the form of fungal spores that penetrate the roots of the plant and the basal region. At the root base, the stem becomes black, weakens and dies less than a week after infection.

Affects mainly greenhouse bushes for which growing conditions are not met. If the soil is not changed, the greenhouse is poorly ventilated, and watered abundantly, then the tomato seedlings will become infected with this type of fungus.

You can fight black leg by loosening the soil, drying it, and treating it with potassium permanganate (5 g/10 l of water)

This disease is characterized as dark green watery spots. Then they become darker and cover the entire surface of the tomato. The infected part dries out and becomes flat, with the formation of folds.

Sometimes a disease can only be detected by cutting a tomato. Formed due to lack of watering and heat.

The main treatment is watering, especially during the period of fruit ripening. You also need to spray with a 1% calcium chloride solution.

The presence of a large amount of nitrogen fertilizer leads to the instability of the tomato plant to this disease.

Leads to cracking of fruits improper plant care. Occurs as a result of improper watering (first dry soil, then excess moisture).

Also, an excess of nitrogen or improper use of pollination leads to cracking of tomato fruits.

Yellow or green spot near the stalk

If the variety of tomato does not include the presence of a green color at the stalk, then this feature has been acquired due to high temperatures.

Due to the heat, the red color of the tomato (pigment) faded in the sun, which led to the formation of carotene. This is not a disease. This can only be avoided by creating shade for the plants.

Some gardeners are alarmed by the appearance of silvery spots on the leaves. This not a disease, it's a feature of the plant(anomaly).

The origin is determined by temperature fluctuations at night or during the day. Also when creating hybrids, during their poor processing.

Oedema is also not a tomato disease. Characterized by swelling of leaves due to improper watering. It is expressed in the form of raised spots due to its similarity to white mold. This anomaly happens due to a discrepancy between the soil and air temperatures.

Soil phytotoxicity

Soil phytotoxicity occurs due to incorrect use fertilizing and fertilizers, which should benefit tomatoes, but are harmful to the plant.

Manifestations vary: from changes in the color of leaves to their drying out.

Twisting

The origin of leaf torsion or curling depends on the conditions created for the plant. Improper watering, contact with herbicides, incorrect use of the growth stimulator Tamaton.

If these violations occur, then when herbicides and growth stimulants enter leaves need to be removed. For waterlogged soil, loosening it is required.

If powdery mildew manifested itself on tomatoes, you can lose the entire crop in a short time. It manifests itself with a white coating - the trunk and leaves begin to turn white. In most cases, the disease causes harm to greenhouses. Suitable conditions: lack of moisture, low temperature.

For prevention, the following measures are used - tomatoes are treated with fungicides Strobi, Topaz, sodium humate as described.

Streak looks like wide dying stripes on the bushes of the plant. On fruits it appears in the form of spots of different shapes and sizes. If the disease progresses, the bush dies.

Before transplanting tomatoes into open ground, you need to spray them with boric acid.

A charged bush cannot be cured, but you can minimize the appearance of streaking. To do this, use healthy seeds and avoid fluctuations in air temperature.

The presence of such a disease can also destroy a large part of the crop. It is manifested by underdevelopment of the plant, the formation of black spots on the fruits. Arises due to contaminated seeds, so you need to treat them well before sowing. Before planting, you also need to disinfect the soil, due to the fact that this type bacteria live in it for up to several years.

All of the above types are the most common diseases of tomatoes and its seedlings.

Some types of diseases can simply scare the gardener, or can lead to the complete loss of all tomato bushes at once.

Dangerous for tomato seedlings at home:

• White leaf spot
• Brown leaf spot
• Black bacterial spot

Viral:

The most common:

• Stem necrosis
• Late blight
• Alternaria or macrosporiosis
• Chloratic leaf curl of tomatoes
• Brown olive spot (cladosporiosis)
• Blackleg
• Oedema
• Yellow or green spot near the stalk
• Silver spots on tomato leaves

Why do tomatoes get sick?

1. Incorrect feeding. Most of all, there is an excess nutrients in the soil affects the tomatoes. It is better to underfeed them than to overfeed them. Their leaves begin to spin. The trunk of the plant thickens, many shoots appear. All this interferes with the normal development of the fruit.
2. Poor living conditions. For normal growth, tomatoes require abundant watering and good ventilation.
3. Viral infections.
4. Wind. Wind may carry improperly stored herbicides.

Signs of lack of basic nutrients

What element is missing?	Signs of shortage
Nitrogen	The leaves turn completely yellow, without streaks of a different color.
Phosphorus	On initial stage the leaf turns blue, then turns brown and turns black.
Potassium	The leaves have blackened edges. In fruits it is manifested by a low sugar content (becomes sour).
Gland	The upper leaves turn yellow with green veins.
Bora	Poor fruit set
Calcium	The fruit has a gray or brown top
Magnesium	The lower leaves turn yellow with red veins.
Manganese	Symptoms are similar to mosaic disease, but appear on the upper leaves near the roots.

What causes leaves to turn yellow?

Often, lovers of growing tomatoes wonder about the presence of yellow leaves on plants.

There are reasons for this trouble:

1. Violation of the root system. Occurs due to lack of space for roots to grow. The roots of nearby bushes are intertwined and cannot breathe.
2. Hypothermia. A sharp drop in temperature leads to a yellow or bluish tint of the entire bush.
3. Root damage. Manifested by the presence of yellow lower leaves. It happens due to loosening the soil or replanting. The plant quickly returns to normal.
4. Insufficient watering.
5. Excessive air humidity.
6. Lack of nutrients.
7. Fusarium wilt. A fungal disease in which the root becomes infected first, then the stem. In advanced cases, moisture is not absorbed by the plant and wilting begins. The appearance of small, underdeveloped fruits.

Pests and description of how to combat them

Not only diseases can ruin the tomato harvest, but also all kinds of pests. They can cause damage both on the surface of the bushes and at the roots.

The most known species pests are:

The whitefly mainly lives in greenhouses. You can recognize it by the formation black plaque on leaves. It is formed due to the fact that the pest feeds on the sap of the plant, and the formation of a sticky film is their excess. The plant does not breathe and begins to die.

If you find a whitefly, you can simply touch the leaves and a swarm of insects will rise from them white. The main damage is caused by the larvae.

You can fight the pest using special adhesive tapes. Also wash the leaves with soapy water to remove sticky residue. In an effective way The fight will be a water infusion of dandelion roots and leaves, as well as an infusion of garlic water.

Thrips clog the tops of plants and feed mainly on inflorescences, spoiling the fruit ovaries. They are detected quite easily due to the characteristic light colored spots. Causes irreparable harm.

It is quite difficult to get rid of the pest; they are difficult to treat with insecticides. You can destroy it if you spray it with “Fitoverm”, “Karate”, read the description in advance at home.

The cutworm has the appearance of a pest butterfly. The damage is caused by deposited larvae, the presence of which can be detected on back side leaves. If they a large number of, That Seedlings can be eaten whole.

For prevention, it is necessary to destroy weeds and pick off leaves on which cutworm larvae are found.

Aphids are small pests that live on plant leaves and sucking the juice out of it. If there is a large accumulation of aphids, the bush may die.

To remove aphids, insecticide treatment will be required.

The wireworm lives in the ground and spoils plant roots. When damaged, the tomato bush dries out.

To get rid of this pest, potato tubers are buried in the ground before planting tomatoes. After a couple of days, they are dug up and burned.

Mole cricket is the main threat to tomatoes in the ground.

Characterized by gluttony. Dangerous both adults and larvae. Lives in moist soils rich in humus.

For prevention, onions and spoiled food are buried in the ground. Because she cannot tolerate unpleasant odors. He is also afraid of loud sounds, so special noisemakers are installed. Chemical protection is also used: spray “Medvetox”, “Thunder”, “Grizzly” on the plant.

Colorado potato beetle and its larvae feed on leaves and stems of tomatoes. To combat it, manual collection is used (if the quantity is small). For large damage, spraying with the following preparations is carried out: “Commander”, “Iskra”.

The tomato is inherently an unpretentious plant. But its diseases and pests can discourage the desire to grow this wonderful vegetable. Nowadays, there are a sufficient number of various drugs to combat them to help grow a good harvest.

Home and industrial cultivation of a good and healthy tomato crop is impossible without proper preparation for planting and subsequent care of the seedlings. Tomato seedlings are very capricious and susceptible to various diseases. There are many diseases and some of them are harmful. To protect your crop, you need to monitor the behavior of young seedlings and, at the first modifications, carry out the necessary preventive and therapeutic “rescue” measures.

Fungal

Tomato seedlings and adult plants are susceptible to infection by a number of fungal diseases:

Alternaria blight

A fungal disease of tomatoes that affects all above-ground parts of the plant. First, single black spots form on the leaves, and then they begin to merge into one continuous black mess. The disease can spread to green and already ripe fruits. It appears on fruits in the same way as on leaves. The plant becomes infected through the remains of the fungus in the soil after the last harvest. The disease begins to progress most quickly in high humidity and warmth.

The following fungicides for spraying are applicable to control:

Anthracnose

A fungal disease that affects leaves and fruits. When the leaves become diseased, they become completely covered with brown spots and wilt. The upper leaves fall off and expose the entire central stem. Infection occurs from diseased plants and untreated soil.

Applicable for treatment:

White rot

This disease first affects the above-ground parts of tomato seedlings. Spots appear in the form of wet putrefactive wounds. The most favorable conditions for the onset of disease development are various mechanical damage on the surface of the trunk. The infected plant itself does not die, but over time the rot spreads to the fruits and completely spoils them.

Infection occurs exclusively through contaminated soil and poor-quality composts.

Measures to prevent the development of white rot:

• Steaming the soil before planting seedlings in it.
• Careful cultivation and disinfection of soils after the previous harvest.

Verticillium

This fungal disease is also called tomato wilt. The leaves on the plant begin to turn yellow (turn brown) at the edges, they look rather burnt. The entire above-ground part of the seedlings begins to wilt. At the second stage, the stems are rejected by the root system and the seedlings completely die. The fungus persists in the soil, plant debris and infects young shoots.

The only measure to preserve the harvest will be to grow disease-resistant varieties.

There are no fungicides to control verticillium.

Cladosporiosis

At the initial stage of manifestation of the fungal disease, red spots begin to appear on the lower basal leaves. Later, these spots darken and a visible plaque forms on top of them.

IN good conditions with high humidity (in permanent greenhouses), the fungus can persist in the soil for up to 10 years. To save the harvest, you need to use tomato varieties resistant to this disease for plantings.

When the disease manifests itself, the following spraying preparations should be used:

Root rot

This fungal disease develops mainly when tomatoes are grown in greenhouses or in waterlogged soil. Symptoms of rot can be compared to the initial development of blackleg disease. If you remove a seedling from the ground, you can observe the thinning of the stem in the root zone and its blackening. Herself root system has black branches. The root rots and the plant completely withers.

Methods for protecting and treating seedlings from disease:

Powdery mildew

This fungal disease can cause colossal damage to seedlings and crops. Infection occurs due to insufficient watering and low air temperature. The entire above-ground part of the plant is covered with clearly defined white spots. A visible powdery coating forms on the entire surface of the leaf.

To combat the disease use:

Stems cancer

This fungal disease is most common in film greenhouses. It rarely develops under glass or in open ground. Infection occurs through infected plant debris in the soil and diseased seeds planted as seedlings. The best conditions for cancer development are high humidity and low temperature. The disease mainly affects the stem, and the leaves are rarely affected. The bottom of the stem becomes brown, less often black. In the root zone, depressed “wounds” form on the plant stem and gum oozes from them.

For treatment and prevention use:

Septoria (White spot)

This fungal disease affects the above-ground part of seedlings. The leaves of the seedlings are covered with alternating white spots with small black spots. Initially, the lower leaves of the plant are affected, then they dry out and fall off. The plant becomes ill due to the remains of last year’s infected vegetation in the soil.

Treatment methods and precautions:

Gray rot

Dangerous fungal disease. The entire stem and leaves of the plant are affected. A gray-white coating is visible on the surface of the plant. The plant quickly turns completely gray, withers and dies.

Such a fungus can be transmitted to a plant through nearby infected crops growing by airborne droplets. The disease develops more rapidly when high level air humidity.

The most effective chemical methods for protecting seedlings are the following drugs:

Late blight

This disease is very insidious. It affects all above-ground parts of the plant. A rusty spot appears on the plants; over time, the entire plant turns brown and completely rots.

Late blight occurs:

• Through poorly cultivated soil after the last harvest.
• Due to planting seedlings of already infected seeds.
• Through infected plants growing nearby.
• By airborne droplets.

Treatment against late blight should be carried out before planting seeds and after planting seedlings in open ground. You should not plant potatoes next to tomatoes. To protect seedlings from late blight, you need to plant tomatoes near onions and garlic.

The most popular means of combating late blight are:

Blackleg

This fungal disease is transmitted to seedlings through contaminated soil. The development of the disease occurs due to high air humidity and hot, stable weather. The disease can completely destroy young seedlings within 24 hours. At the first signs of seedling wilting, it is necessary to pull out one sprout from the crops and examine its root and basal stalk. If the leg becomes thin and black, the plants are affected.

You need to act quickly to save the seedlings:

Fusarium wilt

A pathogenic fungal disease in which the leaves first become deformed (twisted) and dry out, and then the tomato shoots wither and the plant dies. Plants become infected through plant residues in the soil or the seeds themselves are infected. To avoid infection, when planting, use seeds of varieties resistant to the disease.

To cope with the disease, you need to water the seedling bushes with Pseudobactertrin-2.

Southern late blight

At the first manifestations of this fungal disease, the root collar of the plant initially turns brown and becomes deformed. Then the whole plant begins to rot. Rot rises inside the stem, and externally a white coating appears on the leaves, which completely covers the entire leaf. Infection with the disease can be due to sowing diseased seeds or due to the remains of diseased plants in the soil.

To prevent illness you need:

Bacterial

There are also tomato diseases caused by various pathogenic bacteria:

Bacterial mottling

This bacterial disease is observed on plants in open ground. High humidity and low air temperature are Better conditions for the development of the disease. Bacteria live in the roots of weeds and in the tomato seeds themselves. Bacteria do not live long in the soil itself.

In the first stages of disease development, small brown oily spots appear on the green above-ground part of the tomato plant. The leaves begin to curl and eventually die completely.

To combat mottling, it is necessary to spray the seedlings (the dosage is indicated on the package) with a solution of Fitolavin-300.

Bacterial cancer

This bacterial disease manifests itself slowly and gradually destroys the entire plant and young fruits. First, the leaves wither and fall off, and brown growths can be observed on the petioles and stem. Plant withering occurs in stages from bottom to top. If you cut the stem, you will see a yellow void in the core.

Often, painful bacteria lie dormant in the plant seeds themselves. And also the cancer pathogen can be in the soil and plant residues.

Crayfish bacteria are resistant to drought and moisture, but cannot tolerate high temperatures. At an air temperature of +45 Celsius, bacteria stop their development, and when the heat rises, they completely die, but the plant also dies. Soil calcination treatment must be carried out before planting.

To treat this disease, you need to treat the seedlings with fungicides containing copper.

On the day of sowing, the seeds must be soaked in a TMTD suspension solution for 2-3 hours.

Bacterial wilt

This viral disease is considered a quarantine disease in mass cultivation of tomatoes. There are no visible signs at the initial stage of wilting development. Signs are visible only when the first fruits are formed. The diseased plant is very frail and underdeveloped, its color is unsaturated. The fruits on such plants are very small and irregular in shape. Tomatoes quickly wilt and dry out completely.

These bacteria live in the soil. Most often, bacteria persist at the site of the old harvest of potatoes, carrots and beets.

The most active spread of the disease begins during the growth and development of fruits, and when watering with low-quality water.

Before planting seedlings in a greenhouse, quarantine treatment must be carried out.

Sick plants are destroyed, as well as everything growing nearby. They need to be removed, and the rest should be watered with a solution of Fitolavin-300 at a concentration of 0.6-1.0%.

You can also spray the seedlings with Fitolovin-300 with the addition of 0.15% liquid glass.

Root cancer

With this disease, bacteria attack the inside of the stem. Small, scattered brown growths form on the stem. In the section of the stem, brown emptiness and rottenness are visible.

Infection occurs through plant debris and contaminated soil.

When the time comes to plant seedlings in open ground, you need to minimize mechanical pressure on the roots of the plants. It is through all the miniature wounds in the roots of tomatoes that cancerous pathogenic bacteria penetrate.

Before planting seedlings, you need to steam the soil and soak its roots in a solution of Fitosporin-M.

Wet rot

This bacterial disease begins its development from the stems. Darkening occurs from the roots along the inner wall of the stem, and then the stem turns brown and softens. After a few days, the above-ground part of the plant rots completely, and only the skin with rotten liquid remains from the fruit.

There are no measures to combat rot, you can only exterminate pests. And to prevent development, it is worth calcining the soil before planting seedlings and sowing seeds.

Stem necrosis

This disease affects the most developed plants. Brown spots and small growths in the form of warts appear on tomato stems. Over time, the growths crack, and the tomatoes themselves wither and die. The most favorable temperature for pathogen development is +26-+28 degrees Celsius. When the air temperature rises to +40, the bacteria die. The disease develops due to the sowing of infected seeds or through nearby affected plants.

To avoid infection of plants, it is necessary to carry out all agrotechnical methods of soil treatment before sowing.

There are no chemical means to combat this disease.

Black spot

Plants infected with bacterial spot are characterized by underdeveloped appearance. The plant has a faded color, a thin trunk and deformed leaves. Rust spots form throughout the plant. Only the roots are not affected.

The development of the disease is promoted by plant debris in the soil, as well as by planting infected seeds. Before planting in the ground, seed material must be treated with Fitolovin-300 solution.

You also need to spray with the fungicide Kartotsid in a ratio of 40 grams of the drug per 10 liters of water. The working solution should be enough for 1 hundred square meters of area.

Viral

Aspermia

Crop losses due to aspermia can only be avoided by disinfecting or eliminating diseased plants, as well as by destroying insect vectors.

Bronzing

With the development of this viral disease, yellow-brown ring patterns are visible on plant leaves and young green fruits. The leaves begin to curl and die, and the fruits become light and simply fall off. Infection occurs through thrips and weeds.

The virus cannot be treated; it can only reduce its activity at high air temperatures (+35-+45).

To avoid infections, you need to carefully control weeds in the area and destroy thrips. Infected plants cannot be cured.

Yellow curl

This viral disease is also called tomato jaundice. A diseased plant has curled, rusty, small leaves. The entire plant becomes mottled, brownish-green. The fruits of such plants do not ripen, but only turn yellow and wrinkle. Whiteflies infect plants with this virus.

There are no treatments for the disease. To prevent the birth of whiteflies and the development of curl, you can treat the soil before planting seedlings or sowing seeds.

There is only one tomato variety resistant to this disease - F1 Senzafin.

Top bushiness

This disease can begin to develop at the very beginning of seedling germination. White dots first form on the leaves, which then darken and cause necrosis on the leaf surface. The leaves of the seedlings stretch out in length and then curl downward. Such plants are in most cases very frail. The end result is that the leaves become coarser and their veins turn blue. The disease is transmitted through aphid larvae in the soil or through an adult insect. There may also be already infected seeds.

The virus dies only at high air temperatures up to +75.

There are no means of protection against bushiness, except for agrotechnical preventive measures.

Mosaic

A viral disease caused by tomato mosaic virus. First, the leaves of the plant begin to deform and become covered with green spots. Then the disease goes into the form of a streak.

To avoid infection, you need to choose tomato varieties that are resistant to the mosaic virus. To combat the disease, before planting, it is worth disinfecting the soil and treating the seeds, and spraying the seedlings with a solution of the drug Fitolovin.

Threadiness of leaves

The plant becomes infected with cucumber mosaic virus or tomato mosaic virus. Infected seedlings or adult plants with fruits die completely. The disease manifests itself in the fact that the leaves of the plant become like threads. Externally, the leaf looks like a fern leaf. This disease can spread to plants through aphids.

Disease prevention measures will be agrotechnical (disinfection of soil and seeds). It is also worthwhile to identify and destroy all pests in a timely manner.

Non-infectious

There are several non-infectious diseases of tomatoes that harm the plant and further harvest:

Blossom rot

The disease occurs at the genetic level of the tomatoes themselves. The disease appears as brown spots throughout the plant. Later, the spotting spreads to green fruits and spoils them from the inside. To prevent the development of the disease, before planting it is necessary to normalize the acidity of the soil to 6. It is also worth adding calcium to the planting soil, you can use ground chalk.

Stolbur

Phytoplasmamatic plant disease. Seedlings become infected by being infected by the insect vector cicadas. In a diseased plant, mutations begin: the root bark becomes dense and turns brown, the leaves curl and shrink, even the green fruits become denser (woody). There are no ways to combat this disease. The only thing that can be done is to prevent cicada invasions.

Hollowness

The disease manifests itself to a greater extent on fruits. Hollow fruits do not have seed material inside. This occurs due to impaired fruit set, lack of proper pollination, or temperature changes. If there are weak young seedlings in the garden, it means they lack something and are underdeveloped. It is better to get rid of such plantings immediately.

Every gardener wants to grow healthy and strong seedlings in order to reap a decent harvest later. But sometimes, despite all efforts, seedlings are still susceptible to disease. Tomatoes are considered especially capricious to care for; if agricultural practices are not followed, seedlings can be affected by various diseases.

When developing new tomatoes, breeders, of course, try to obtain more resistant specimens. However, there are many long-bred tomatoes that have excellent varietal qualities, and the only drawback is susceptibility to one disease or another. All diseases can be divided into several categories:

• Fungal diseases occur mainly due to improper care and maintenance conditions. Watering should be regular and moderate; moisture should not stagnate. The distance between seedlings must be maintained in order to ensure ventilation. Also, in the room where seedlings grow, you need to control the temperature and humidity of the air, high performance may lead to the development of fungal diseases.
• Viral diseases can be spread by pests, and the virus can also be found in infected seeds. One of the reasons for the development of viral diseases can be unfavourable conditions. Or a lack of microelements in the soil.

• Bacterial infections appear when growing conditions are violated, or when low-quality seed and soil are used.
• Non-infectious diseases occur due to improper fertilizing or lack of minerals.

Prevention

In order for seedlings to grow healthy, seeds should be purchased only from trusted suppliers. And before planting, be sure to disinfect it with manganese, copper sulfate or other products that can be purchased at a gardening store. Sowing containers also need to be thoroughly washed before sowing. Soil, in original packaging, bought in a store is usually ready for use. But if it is made independently, it must be sifted and disinfected; this can be done using:

• Calcination in the oven at a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius.
• Steam in a water bath for an hour.
• Watering with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
• Use of purchased products intended for soil disinfection.

Now let's take a closer look possible disease tomatoes and their treatment.

Fungal diseases

Late blight

When affected by the disease, foliage appears dark spots, and then the leaves begin to dry out. If symptoms are detected, diseased bushes are isolated or burned, and the remaining plants can be treated with the Zaslon preparation. To consolidate the effect, after 14 days the treatment is repeated, but with the help of the “Barrier” drug.

The third time, the seedlings are sprayed with a solution that is prepared independently from 10-12 liters of water, 1 gram of manganese and a glass of chopped garlic.

Blackleg

With this disease, the plant stem is affected, it becomes thinner and the seedlings die. Affected plants are removed and the soil is covered with ash. In order to protect young seedlings from harm, when sowing seeds, a little ash and copper sulfate are added to the soil.

White spot

It affects the lower leaves of tomatoes when fungal spores come into contact with them. The disease then quickly spreads to the entire plant. The leaves darken and become covered with black spots, and then dry out completely. If symptoms are detected early, seedlings can be saved. To do this, you need to prepare a solution of copper sulfate at the rate of 200 grams per 10 liters of water. If the plant is dead, it is removed, the soil is watered with a strong solution of manganese, and then sprinkled with a layer of ash.

Fusarium wilt

Triggered by a soil fungus, it gets into the roots of the plant and causes it to wilt. On a section of the affected sprout, you can see a disruption of the structure in the form of bunches that cover brown rings. In order to protect the seedlings, it is necessary to follow agricultural practices and provide them with good lighting.

Rotten

Plants are attacked at low temperatures and excess moisture in the soil. This disease is manifested by a change in the color of the foliage of seedlings, and the appearance of damp spots with a fungal coating on it. Having noticed the first signs, you need to act immediately. First, normalize the room temperature and reduce watering. And the plants should be treated with a solution of copper oxychloride, dissolving 40 grams of the drug in 10 liters of water. It is also necessary to remove the affected leaves. A couple of days before transferring to a permanent place, the seedlings are sprayed with a 2% solution of trichodermin.

Cladosporiosis

It affects seedlings mainly after transplantation into the greenhouse. Characterized by the appearance of large spots on the foliage located closer to the soil. yellow color. The leaves become covered with bloom from below, and then curl and fall off. The peak of plant damage occurs during the flowering period; favorable conditions for the development of the disease are high humidity and warmth. All affected leaves are removed from diseased plants, and then the plantings are sprayed with 1% Bordeaux solution or with “Barrier” or “Barrier” preparations.

Dry rot or Alternaria

It manifests itself by the appearance of brown spots on the back of the foliage, later the foliage is completely affected and falls off. Then the disease spreads to the stems; when the first symptoms are detected, the planting is treated with fungicides, for example, you can use “Ditan”, “Acrobat” or “Quadris”.

Fomoz or brown rot

It affects fruits; a small brown spot forms on them near the stalk; it can increase in diameter up to 30 mm. Basically, the fruit rots from the inside. The culprit for the development of the disease is considered to be high humidity and excessive nitrogen content in the soil. Preventive measures include disinfection of the soil, containers and greenhouse structure. Affected fruits are collected and destroyed, and the plants are treated with Zaslon, Fundazol, Oksikhom or Bordeaux mixture.

Powdery mildew

This disease is caused by a marsupial fungus and is quite common among tomatoes. It often appears after planting seedlings. The route of infection is contaminated soil. It is characterized by a white coating on the leaves, first forming tissue chlorosis, and then necrosis and death. For prevention, before planting, the soil is prepared and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. To prevent and treat the disease, you can use Quadris, Topaz and Strobi.

Viral diseases

Mosaic

Most often, this virus affects seedlings when planted in the soil. The leaves begin to change color, and then curl and completely fall off. Infection mainly occurs through diseased seeds, so it is better to take fresh material for sowing. Diseased specimens should be disposed of, and the remaining plants should be treated with pink potassium permanganate or a 5% urea solution.

Aspermia or seedlessness

The disease manifests itself as delayed growth and development of seedlings, small leaves and small deformed fruits with no seeds. It is not advisable to treat the disease, and diseased bushes must be destroyed.

Streak

It appears as characteristic brown streaks on the foliage; they later form cankers. As a result, the seedlings become fragile and the top leaves fall off. With this disease, productivity and fruit quality are significantly reduced. Affected plants are destroyed so as not to infect healthy tomatoes.

Bacterial infections

Brown leaf spot

The disease is provoked by high humidity in the air and soil. Leaves on front side they begin to become covered with gray-yellow spots, and a brown-green coating forms on the inside of the leaves, which then turns red.

The affected plants are destroyed, and the soil is treated with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. The remaining seedlings are sprayed with a solution of copper sulfate.

Black bacterial spot

The disease can be transmitted through soil and seed. Elevated temperatures and air humidity can trigger the development of the disease. The pests that cause the disease develop at a temperature of +25 -30 degrees Celsius and are well tolerated reduced temperature. The temperature of +56 degrees kills them. Externally it appears as small black spots with a yellow border. Such spots can also appear on cotyledons, fruits and petioles. Black streaks form on the stems of plants.

The disease is quite insidious, infected plants must be destroyed, the remaining seedlings can be treated with fungicides, for example, the drug "Hom". But of course it is better to prevent the disease. Therefore, it is necessary to use only high-quality seed, which must be processed before planting. It is also necessary to follow the rules of crop rotation and be sure to disinfect the soil and greenhouse structure.

Stolbur or Phytoplasmosis

The disease is caused by microplasma bodies that can be carried by insects. It appears as purple or lilac spots on the foliage and stems of seedlings. For treatment and preventive purposes, seedlings are treated with Confidor or Aktara, the first time a month after sowing, the second time before planting in the soil or greenhouse.

Bacterial cancer

One of the most dangerous diseases of tomatoes, which destroys vascular system plants. Characterized by the appearance of cankers on the stems and leaves. Eventually the plant dies, and when the first symptoms appear, the seedling is removed and burned, and the soil is replaced. To protect future tomatoes, seeds should be treated with a diluted formaldehyde solution at a rate of 1:300 before sowing.

Bacterial mottling

Rarely found on plants growing under cover, it is caused by phytopathogenic bacteria that enter through damage. A symptom of the disease is the appearance of dark yellow spots on the foliage. Over time, the leaves curl and fall off. Stems and fruits are little susceptible to damage. Treatment consists of removing the affected leaves, normalizing humidity and temperature, and treating the plants with copper-containing preparations.

Diseases of non-infectious etiology

Occurs due to deficiency useful substances in the soil or improper application of fertilizers. Most often, tomatoes lack nitrogen, copper, calcium, phosphorus or potassium. Their deficiency can be compensated by applying appropriate fertilizing.

Important! Before use, be sure to read the instructions.

Manifestations

• Nitrogen deficiency is characterized by pale foliage. You can replenish the supply of the substance in the soil using a urea solution.

• Phosphorus deficiency is manifested by the necrosis of certain areas of foliage. The color of the leaves becomes purple, and brown spots appear on the lower part. The problem can be solved by adding superphosphate or ammonium sulfate.

• With a lack of copper, tomato leaves curl and bend, and also change color to white-gray with green veins. For treatment, use a 3% solution of copper sulfate.

• Calcium deficiency is manifested by drying out of the lower parts of the foliage, while the upper leaves remain green. Eliminate the deficiency of the substance using a solution of calcium nitrate, which is prepared from 10 liters of water and 25 liters of the substance.

• A characteristic symptom of iron deficiency is discolored leaves with necrotic spots. Plants can be saved by adding 0.25% iron sulfate.

• A lack of potassium is manifested by drying of the leaves along the edges; if not treated in a timely manner, the problem will worsen and the spots will increase in size. But when wood ash is added to the soil, the plants will quickly begin to recover.

• Coloring the undersides of the leaves pale pink indicates a lack of sulfur in the soil. Timely treatment with a 3% solution of magnesium sulfate will correct the situation.

Useful tips

1. The soil and seed must be etched without fail.
2. Use only zoned varieties for planting.
3. Support optimal temperature and humidity.
4. If symptoms or any diseases are detected, isolate the plant.
5. Do not skip preventative treatment.
6. Apply fertilizers in a timely and correct manner.
7. Follow the rules of crop rotation; tomatoes cannot be planted in one place for two years in a row; the best predecessors for them are: cucumbers, cabbage, legumes and greens.

Conclusion

Considering the danger of many diseases and their impact on yields, it is necessary to follow agricultural practices and create comfortable conditions for tomatoes. Useful tips will help protect seedlings from diseases and help in growing delicious tomatoes.