Cure for Fusarium Wilt on Tomatoes

Unfavorable Growing Conditions

• Tomato plants are highly susceptible to fusarium wilt when conditions are dry and temperatures are warm, 82 degrees or higher. Plants grown in soil with pH levels or alkalinity of 5.0 and 5.6 are also especially prone. Avoid fertilizing plants with high amounts of ammonium nitrate to decrease risk of infection.

Control

• Rotate crops every four to six years to minimize fungi population, and don’t include potatoes, eggplants and peppers that are prone to the disease in the rotation. Manage weed growth either with manual removal or chemical control applications. Remove and destroy, preferably by burning, plants infected with the disease to contain it and keep it from spreading to other plants. Propagate disease-free tomato varieties to decrease threats whenever possible.

Symptoms

• Tomato plants inflicted with fusarium wilt generally have minor vein clearing on the outer edge of foliage and limp leaf petioles when the disease first appears. As it progresses, a plant’s older and lower set of leaves yellow, curl and drop and eventually the plant prematurely dies. Symptoms generally are most apparent in a single shoot before affecting the entire plant.

Considerations

• Make certain symptoms, which might at first appear to be fusarium wilt, aren’t those caused by improper care practices or rot before destroying the plant. Both over and under watering tomato plants can produce similar symptoms found with the disease. A plant suffering from root rot might also display symptoms that might lead to an initial misdiagnosis. Fusarium wilt makes the vascular tissue of the plant’s main stem turn dark brown. Slice the plant’s lower stem and check it for discoloration.