Are Potato Wilts Harmful to Tomatoes?

Verticillium Wilt

• Verticillium wilt occurs during infection with Verticillium albo-atrum or Verticillium dahliae. These organisms target tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, rhubarb, strawberries and beans, among others. The fungus spreads through soil and may persist for up to six years.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of Verticillium wilt include wilting in lower leaves at the end of summer, with yellowing and browning of those leaves during the day. Leaves eventually dry and fall off the plants. This disease only attacks one to two stems on each plant, but may spread into the roots and from plant to plant. This infection stunts both growth and fruit harvest in tomatoes.

Treatments

• The University of Minnesota Extension Services notes that Verticillium fungus spreads through soil, and so presents difficulty in regard to treatment. Cut off all infected foliage to prevent spreading and conserve plant resources, and weed the garden to eliminate possible hosts. Increase the watering and feeding schedule for tomato plants -- healthy tomato plants withstand infection better than unhealthy plants.

Prevention

• The best treatment for any fungal infection is prevention. Don't plant tomatoes in sites with old potato, pepper, strawberry or eggplant soil, as the soil may still carry fungus spores. Keep these crops separate in the garden to avoid fungus spreading. Plant disease-resistant vegetable strains for best prevention and put tomatoes in sites with full sunshine for warm, dry and healthy growing. Use mulch on the soil to prevent splashing during any watering.