Daniel simpson, horticulture extension agent
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| Horticulture & Environmental News
DANIEL SIMPSON, HORTICULTURE EXTENSION AGENT 3rd QUARTER Tomato Problems D   o you have nice red tomatoes with whitish spots? Are your plants wilting and dying with no apparent problems with the leaves? Is so, then consider looking for stinkbugs and a root rot problem called Southern Blight. Unfortunately, as we move into the long, hot, humid days of summer those growing pest problems will quickly become apparent. Here at the Extension office, our demonstration garden has been fighting a loosing battle with a fungal disease called Southern Blight. This disease is easily recognized by a whitish fungal growth that is located at ground level on the stem, and may contain tan colored sclerotia (small, tan colored balls). This disease is very common in Eastern North Carolina and will cause mature plants to slowly wilt and die as the disease girdles the stems. Tomatoes in the demonstration garden were hit hard, due to the fact that most of the vines split at or near the soil line under a heavy fruit load (will need to thin them out sooner next year). Control starts with good sanitation of infected plants (removal, burning, etc) and limiting spread of infected soil. Deep plowing that buries the infected soil may limit development, but no permanent solution exists. Gardeners can try soil solarization with plastic, but this will only be effective if temperatures under the plastics reach 122 degrees F for four to six hours. The addition of compost and organic matter may help hold back the disease as beneficial organisms compete with the pathogen. Some chemical controls exist (such a Terraclor – PCNB), but need to be applied at planting.
Another common problem we are seeing on tomatoes is stinkbugs. These pest use their straw like mouth parts to puncture the skin of the fruit while feeding, causing white spots to form on the skin. Sometimes this feeding will lead to fruit loss if disease pathogens gain access through this feeding. In addition, if you catch one of these bugs you will soon learn why they are called stink bugs as they give off a strong offensive odor. Control measures vary from hand removal, to insecticidal soaps, to products containing permethrins. Just remember stinkbug populations will be on the rise this time of year. Directory: files -> library library -> Strategic Plan South Sudan Country Office Context library -> Guide to Arbor Day library -> Sonar Atlantic Coast Championships May 31 and June 1, 2008 Manhasset Bay Sonar Fleet #11 library -> Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui library -> Managing Law Enforcement Integrity The State of the Art a summary of Findings For Law Enforcement Leaders library -> 2016 Gaming Industry Report library -> Large trees – Over 30’ Tall Recommended for Coastal Southeast Landscapes library -> The beer sector in croatia Download 0.71 Mb. Share with your friends:
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