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Tomato Pests & Diseases

Is this fusarium wilt?

9 years ago

Hi all,

I'm pretty sure this is fusarium wilt but would appreciate any comments before I ruthlessly uproot it. (I'm a novice gardener, first tomato plant crop here!)

The plant is a Brandywine, I noticed yellowing leaves on the bottom and some leaf curl on the top (but no yellowing) starting a couple weeks ago but chalked it up to either uneven watering - heat stress - lack of fertilizers. Having added worm cast and given it more even watering (checking the first couple inches to make sure it stays moist but not soggy), the wilting suddenly accelerated in the last 2 days :( So I fear it is the dreaded wilt...

Thanks for any input!

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Comments (5)

jean001a
9 years ago
Unable to diagnose based on one yellow leaf.

Please post image of entire plant.

Further, what is the potting mix?
hsupit
Original Author
9 years ago
Hi Jean,

Thank you for your input - apologies for the delay in posting, my phone has been acting up and I couldn't take pictures.

Here is the whole plant.. The wilt has continued to go upwards as you can see.

Potting mix: about 1/4 burned rice hulls, the rest is largely soil marketed as container mix (supposed to include cocopeat with soil) plus some aged chicken manure (I did wonder if it wasn't aged enough perhaps? causing yellowing due to nitrogen? it didn't smell though when I added it).

What do you think? Grateful for any input!

Btw, I'm in the tropics so temperatures are around 80F.

Thanks again!
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In the ground or a container? If the latter,more likely to be cultural than fusarium.
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I've been having some of the same problems with tomatoes in containers. I've ruled out biotic diseases and have settled on the watering regimen as the culprit. My learning has taught me that overwatering is more damaging to the plant and difficult to recover from. In containers, it's tricky to get the watering right. I'm trying to figure out the right routine. I'm going to try a cup of water every other day in the morning. Also, the mulch you are using will hold in water (a good thing), so make sure to test the soil moisture down a couple inches with your finger before you water. If the soil is somewhat moist, skip the water -- easier to catch up with a water-deprived plant than to cure a root-rotted plant. And I would add a little more of that TomatoTone, can't really hurt.
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Fusarium would be unlikely in a container unless you filled the container with garden soil or the plants given to you were already contaminated with it. Nutrient deficiency or overwatering are much more likely causes of yellowing. But it's hard to tell without seeing the plant. If it was fusarium, your plant would probably be going downhill pretty quickly at this point.
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Thats what I call blight, I think proper name is Early Blight.
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aphidsquish
9 years ago
Yup. It's got the AIDS. Pull it up and burn the body.

Just kidding- I know nothing about it. Just up late and feeling ornery.;-)

I'm a newbie like you, and I've spent countless hours worrying and researching when something was off with the plants, so I feel for you. My own cyberchondria (hypochondria+internet) gets transferred to other living things in the house (husband, cats, now plants) waaaaaay too easily, but 99% of the time it's nothing serious. Hopefully it won't be the 'mater AIDS- just a nutrient deficiency or something fixable. Good luck.
hsupit
Original Author
9 years ago
I am tempted to pull it up and replace it with something wilt- resistant!

But just in case I'm wrong and it's not wilt...
aphidsquish
9 years ago
Any update on the plant?

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