Prue - should I pull it ?

[Hntrss]

It started on the lower branches but now almost all foliage is yellowing. Spreading fast in an otherwise healthy tomato patch. It has been in the 90s for a few days. The only other plant seemingly affected ( slightly) is a Reverend Michael Keyes.

[TC_Manhattan]

Wow, that is a serious truss of tomatoes!

Where did you get your seeds?

[RayR]

Ya, you've got some nice looking maters there.
So what's this about pulling the plant? Did you look closely first for bugs under the leaves. like green aphids? Take some closeup pictures of the underside of a few leaves with your camera.

[Hntrss]

I got the seeds from Marsha, aka Ginger2778, one of the many super generous members here. The plant in the foreground is Elgin Pink, also from her. That plant is doing real good, as are her Rebel Yell. This plant is yellowing fast, like 3 days. I feel like it's a goner. Unless for some reason the direct sun and extreme heat are too much for it. Maybe try shading it?

[gorbelly]

You definitely have a touch of something fungal, but that bright yellow wilting might also indicate a soilborne wilt.

Are you sure that's Prue? I thought Prue had a wispy habit. And Prue's trusses don't look like that. Also, that fruit looks like it's ready to blush, but if so, it's definitely not Prue.

The plant in your photo almost looks like it has a dwarf growing habit.

[b54red]

If that plant were in my garden I would know what was wrong with it:Fusarium wilt. It sure has the classic early symptoms.

Bill

[Hntrss]

Well all I know is the seeds were labeled Prue. I don't know if FW is common here, do you think bleach treatment would help? By the way it is well worse today. All those slightly yellowed branches are fully yellow now. There was nothing wispy about it, but it stopped growing and throwing blooms 2 weeks ago

[gorbelly]

Fusarium isn't a common issue in NY the way it is further south, but it's also not exactly rare. Verticillium is more common, but it doesn't display such drastic "yellow flag" chlorosis the way your plant does. As Bill says, it's hard to look at that photo and not think "fusarium".

Fusarium is soilborne, so bleach spray or any spray won't help it.

I would personally pull the plant, although if the fruit are close to turning, you could leave it a little longer to see whether you can get them to blush. As long as you're not digging in the soil and moving it around, fusarium isn't going to spread like wildfire or anything. After pulling it, take it to your county extension office and get a definite diagnosis. If it's fusarium or verticillium, you'll have to either not grow tomatoes in that location for a few years or grow resistant or grafted varieties. You could also try extensive organic amendment plus some biologicals such as T. harzanium, B. amyloliquifaciens, and other bacterial/fungal root treatments. IIRC, fusarium can be seedborne, so don't save seeds from that plant.

[Country Breeze]

Looks like some black spot or early blight.

Bleach spray, copper, serenade, etc should stop the spread. Keep an eye on it, and if after a few sprays it hasn't changed it is most likely something else like Fusarium or a root issue. The yellow leaves without the spots could just be die off from heat stress, or a lack of nutrients/water or it could be a bigger issue like Fusarium.

The plant wouldn't happen to be a determinate variety would it? I'm not familiar with that variety.

[Hntrss]

Ok - I don't believe it to be water and I have been feeding every 10 days with TTF. My garden faces south and is an 8 foot wide strip between my house and a 6 foot fence, so it gets hot as heck there. But 20 other plants are doing fine, healthy foliage and plenty of tomato, although my plants rarely set a lot of fruit compared to the number of blossoms . Some of my lowest trusses set none at all. But it's been a rainy as hell this season. We are just now getting a break

[gorbelly]

Prue at Tania's database

Photos of Prue at Dave's Garden

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by b54red

If that plant were in my garden I would know what was wrong with it:Fusarium wilt. It sure has the classic early symptoms.

Bill

I didn't want to reply to what I think it is, but it looks just like fusarium looked like in the early stages in our gardens.

Yes, Fusarium happens in New York https://nysipm.cornell.edu/agricultu...section-22-5-2

[gorbelly]

Originally Posted by Hntrss

But 20 other plants are doing fine, healthy foliage and plenty of tomato,

Wilts can hit only one or two plants in a bed. They often start like that.

Not saying it's definitely fusarium. But it really does look very much like it. In your shoes, I would contact my county extension office for a diagnosis. If they rule it out, great. If it ends up being fus., then at least you know what to look out for/prepare for in future growing seasons.

[ddsack]

Are you sure that's Prue? I thought Prue had a wispy habit. And Prue's trusses don't look like that. Also, that fruit looks like it's ready to blush, but if so, it's definitely not Prue.

The plant in your photo almost looks like it has a dwarf growing habit.

I agree, does not look like Prue, I grow it most years and have never seen fruit paired in trusses like that. It's normally in droopy clusters of 3-5 fruit of various sizes like in Tania's pictures..

[Hntrss]

These stopped at a small Roma size. I may try to bring it to get tested tomorrow.