Help with diagnosis

recruiterg · June 21, 2012

One half of a dwarf plant appears to be very droopy. See photos. Any idea what this is? Should I pull the plant?

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mcsee · June 21, 2012

If it's only a part of the plant that is droopy, it would suggest that there may be some damage to the leader that's wilting, rather than it being diseased. Have you looked for stem damage on the plant?

recruiterg · June 21, 2012

That's possible. I have two boys who think they are Lionel Messi in the backyard. Could be due to an errant soccer ball.

I was thinking I had some kind of disease about to threaten my entire crop.

fortyonenorth · June 21, 2012

I believe Verticillium wilt often affects only one side of the plant - at least initially.

Sun City Linda · June 21, 2012

I had a big ole Mortgage Lifter start to wilt suddenly a few years ago. On inspection I found the main stem had been separated from the root below! Stupid gophers!

recruiterg · June 21, 2012

OK I think I might have Verticillium wilt. Two plants showing similar signs. What is the proper course of action. Should I pull both of the plants?

**carolyn137** · June 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by recruiterg

OK I think I might have Verticillium wilt. Two plants showing similar signs. What is the proper course of action. Should I pull both of the plants?

Ocasionally, that is rarely, I would get a few plants that had Verticillium and yes, initially it is one sided, but also know that the plant can outgrow the disease, at least that's what happened to my plants.

It was also very random in appeance in the field.

The first time it happened the Cornell Coop Ext was doing a project of the varieties in my tomato field and it was diagnosed by the person who was leading the project who was trained by Dr. David Zitter at Cornell who is a tomato infectious disease expert of some reknown.

recruiterg · June 21, 2012

It is funny. 1/2 of the plant is as healthy as can be, 1/2 is all wilted. I wonder if I should remove the side of the plant with the dead foliage, or just pull the whole thing???

**carolyn137** · June 21, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by recruiterg

It is funny. 1/2 of the plant is as healthy as can be, 1/2 is all wilted. I wonder if I should remove the side of the plant with the dead foliage, or just pull the whole thing???

PLease see my post above yours since we were posting at the same time.

June 21, 2012	#1
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	Help with diagnosis One half of a dwarf plant appears to be very droopy. See photos. Any idea what this is? Should I pull the plant? ImageUploadedByTapatalk1340276989.490242.jpg ImageUploadedByTapatalk1340277011.323828.jpg --- I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?0yfasp Last edited by recruiterg; June 21, 2012 at 08:14 AM.

June 21, 2012	#2
mcsee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Victoria. Australia Posts: 543	If it's only a part of the plant that is droopy, it would suggest that there may be some damage to the leader that's wilting, rather than it being diseased. Have you looked for stem damage on the plant?

June 21, 2012	#4
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	I believe Verticillium wilt often affects only one side of the plant - at least initially.

June 21, 2012	#5
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	I had a big ole Mortgage Lifter start to wilt suddenly a few years ago. On inspection I found the main stem had been separated from the root below! Stupid gophers!