Need help identifying this disease!

June 14, 2012

I am brand new to this forum, so I hope I am doing this right!

I planted 35 varieties of tomatoes, but I've never seen this on tomatoes before. The photos are in my photo album at
http://www.tomatoville.com/album.php?u=10383.
The problem started with my Yellow Brandywine --I planted 6 and 5 of them have this disease/fungus/blight?? Three have died already, now 2 more have it, along with a Big Boy in the next row and a Mr. Stripey in another row. I have been spraying for the past 2 weeks with a copper solution (can't remember the name) but it did nothing for them. I took the infected leaves to my local Co-op this morning and the guy said he isn't sure but it looks like "southern blight", and that if they don't respond to a few rounds of Mancozeb, I'd might as well pull them up because all of them will die.
Sounds a little rash.
hahaha

Anybody have any ideas?

**nctomatoman** · June 14, 2012

Looks like Tomato Spotted Wilt (at least half of the pictures) - and if so, spray will do nothing - it is spread by infected thrips chewing on blossoms - and is a death knell for the plant. It is a virus - so no spray or treatment would help that.

Fusion_power · June 14, 2012

Agree, photos are clearly TSWV. Best thing to do is pull them up and toss them as soon as you see it.

A few hybrids with the sw5 gene are available, but most of them are relatively weak on flavor.

DarJones

b54red · June 14, 2012

I agree that some of the photos look like Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). If a plant is large enough and has fruit near full size on it I usually leave it for a while and see if it will survive long enough for the fruit to make. If they are young plants with only small tomatoes on them you might as well go ahead and pull them now and replace them if you can. A very healthy large vigorous plant can sometimes survive TSWV for quite a while before it succumbs to the disease; but I have never seen a young plant last very long.

June 14, 2012

Hey Guys,
Thanks for your responses--I had sent in photos (same ones I posted here in my profile) to a Plant Diagnostician from Auburn University, not really expecting a reply--but she kindly confirmed the diagnosis of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.

uh...that should be TSWV! SORRY!!!!!!!!!! hahaha

June 14, 2012	#1
grahadp Guest Posts: n/a	Need help identifying this disease! I am brand new to this forum, so I hope I am doing this right! I planted 35 varieties of tomatoes, but I've never seen this on tomatoes before. The photos are in my photo album at http://www.tomatoville.com/album.php?u=10383. The problem started with my Yellow Brandywine --I planted 6 and 5 of them have this disease/fungus/blight?? Three have died already, now 2 more have it, along with a Big Boy in the next row and a Mr. Stripey in another row. I have been spraying for the past 2 weeks with a copper solution (can't remember the name) but it did nothing for them. I took the infected leaves to my local Co-op this morning and the guy said he isn't sure but it looks like "southern blight", and that if they don't respond to a few rounds of Mancozeb, I'd might as well pull them up because all of them will die. Sounds a little rash. hahaha Anybody have any ideas?

June 14, 2012	#2
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Looks like Tomato Spotted Wilt (at least half of the pictures) - and if so, spray will do nothing - it is spread by infected thrips chewing on blossoms - and is a death knell for the plant. It is a virus - so no spray or treatment would help that. __________________ Craig

June 14, 2012	#5
grahadp Guest Posts: n/a	Confirmation of TMSV - from Auburn Hey Guys, Thanks for your responses--I had sent in photos (same ones I posted here in my profile) to a Plant Diagnostician from Auburn University, not really expecting a reply--but she kindly confirmed the diagnosis of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. uh...that should be TSWV! SORRY!!!!!!!!!! hahaha Last edited by grahadp; June 14, 2012 at 04:50 PM. Reason: Sorry I can't type!!! SHOULD BE TSWV!!

June 14, 2012	#3
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,251	Agree, photos are clearly TSWV. Best thing to do is pull them up and toss them as soon as you see it. A few hybrids with the sw5 gene are available, but most of them are relatively weak on flavor. DarJones

June 14, 2012	#4
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I agree that some of the photos look like Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). If a plant is large enough and has fruit near full size on it I usually leave it for a while and see if it will survive long enough for the fruit to make. If they are young plants with only small tomatoes on them you might as well go ahead and pull them now and replace them if you can. A very healthy large vigorous plant can sometimes survive TSWV for quite a while before it succumbs to the disease; but I have never seen a young plant last very long.