Yes

cut a section of stem and place it in a glass bowl of water with just enough water to cover it. If after about 20 minutes you see a white milky ooze - it was bacterial wilt.

Can you do much for next year? Well not really if you grow in soil. You can try to dig out some of the soil from that area (and get rid of it) and replace with new soil. But, since you have been digging and walking around in it, its being spread anyway.

Solarization can help some. If you are not familar with that term try googling it. It might still be early enough that you could get some of the hot sun of this summer to work for you this season for next year.

Link below is to an excellent article on the various types of wilt that can affect tomatoes. It offers details on how to differentiate them and includes instructive photos of the definitive test hortist describes above.

Good luck.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Wilt Diseases of Tomatoes

I went to the Univ. Of Calif site on tomatoes and their diseases and they don't have bacterial wilt on the list so I would make sure you really do have bacterial wilt in your area. Here in Fl. it is common in the north but not in Miami due to our soils.

From what I have read about bacterial wilt it is persistent in the soil and remaining plant debris. Also aggravated by overly wet conditions.

Besides methyl bromide fumigation (not an option for you and being phased out anyway) and crop rotation there isn't a control. I referenced several Univ. sites.

Promising studies using thymol (derived I believe from the essential oil of thyme) show an effectiveness against BW. Thymol plus Actigard is also effective but Actigard is not available to the homeowner. (google thymol or thyme essentia oil for more information and studies)

I wish some of these biological defense products such as Actigard were available in small quantities. If I had bacterial wilt I would probably try tracking down source of thymol but I go to any lengths to try 'new' methods.

re: LINK
Cut to the chase of this presentation--they also mention the benefits of a cover crop. (also look at slide 8--pretty big difference)

Let's hope it is not bacterial wilt--did you do the test hortist recommended?

Here is a link that might be useful: Controlling Bacterial Wilt

Yeah, what are the symptoms you are seeing? I have problems with verticillium wilt and nematodes (common in Norcal) but try looking here for other common diseases:

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.tomatoes.html
Carla in Sac

Hello everyone:

Just read all your posts. Very informative. I have a question about the test above. You say cut a secion of stem and then to place in the water. Are we talking the tomatoes main stem or any portion of the plant itself? Can I take a main branch and make a good test with it? I'm asking only because both tomato plants that are still in the ground and showing some symptoms have green tomatoes which I want to ripen as much as possible until their day of reckoning comes:)

I will think about what everyone said. In regard to the symptoms I have pulled one tomato plant already due to extreme wilting being present. At first it was one leaf, then a branch, then the top half of the plant. No yellow leaves or apparent insect presence. Just crazy wilting. The two tomato plants on either side of it are now showing similar symptoms but so far it seems at a slower rate.

They are being regularly watered via a drip system. I grow tomatoes every year and have never seen anything like this.

Thank you.

Kate

Can I take a main branch and make a good test with it?

Cut a piece of the affected stem - wilted main branch or below a wilted main growing tip.

Bact. wilt infected plants usually decline VERY rapidly once infected so if your plants are still going and have even lived long enough to produce fruit I'd sure suspect some other problem.

Plus as farkee posted U of C doesn't indicate that it is a real problem in your area. Contact your local county extension office for info on its existence in your area and ask them for a expert diagnosis. Your local Master Gardener program also has volunteers who do consultations so give them a call.

Good luck.

Dave

Thank you greatly Dave and everyone. I will follow your advice.

Kate

Kate-
Hoping it isn't bacterial wilt, but if it is, welcome to the club. Here's what I've done to get around:
I grow my indeterminate tomatoes, eggplant and peppers(my wilt killed my peppers and eggplant too) in 5 gallon containers in a pine bark based mix(see container growing forum). I've take some special steps based on my experience and the hot, humid climate of the SC coast, including converting my containers to self-watering containers by elevating over 2 gallon plastic wash basins($1 at dollar store)using wicks all season long, and draping white plastic garbage bags over containers and basins to beat the heat/reduce evaporation. (First season in containers I made the mistake of putting containers on the ground exposing roots to the wilt). While my tomato plants may not be as large as in ground plants, I have a few more to make up the difference. My eggplant and peppers are more productive than they were in the ground. For comparison, this year I made and used two homemade E-box containers...plants in these have not done as well. In past years, my plants were done by now, whether in ground or in containers...this year they are still producing in the heat and humidity, I assume from the conversion to self-watering, which also has conserved water and fertilizer. If you want more details/opinions justlet me know.
As for where I used to grow tomatoes, etc., I now grow just about everything else I want to and can in my climate, including carrots, onions,lettuce, kale, chard, beans,raspberries, blueberries, cucumbers, summer and winter squash and okra....all seem unaffected by the continuing presence of the wilt(put a few tomato plants in the ground to test and now four years later it is still there)
Good Luck!
Tom

Use Serenade. It will take care of most everthing that is not bugs. California company makes it. very Organic also. You need to use it as a preventative. Your plants are now probably too far gone to save them with anything.

For emergency use you can try Hydrogen Peroxide. It sterilizes most everything and is safe on plants. also Organic.

There is a product on the market called Oxidate. It is hydrogen dioxide which is hydrogen peroxide. This product is used as a fungicide and soil sterilizer. Smallest size available is 2 1/2 gallons for about $149. It appears to be 27% hydrogen peroxide. It has some other things in it to keep it from breaking down in light. That is why the hydrogen peroxide you buy in drug stores is in brown bottles. They say mix it 1 part to 100 parts water. To get the same dilution of the drug store brand you would mix 1 to 10 but in a typical pump sprayer light can get to it so you would need to use it all at once or store in a light safe jug.
I have just started using the drug store type and have even sprayed plants with it. We'll see just how well it works by mid season next year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Oxidate

ronnywil, I'm also in z7. My plants are afflicted every year with yellowing, browning and dying from the bottom up. Not sure what it is; maybe fusarium, vericulum or bacteria. Growing in 5 gallon containers this year which has delayed the onset but now all plants are showing the signs with two already discarded. I like your self watering idea and plastic bag approach. My question(s): will store bought hyd per at 1/10 help in my situation? Also, do you spray periodically throughout the season?