Black Spots on Leaves. Cannot identify.

[sgladstein]

I noticed some black spots on the leaves of my Sungold today. It is affecting the older leaves on the plant. The plant otherwise looks healthy. I have been looking at images of disease and I am having trouble identifying the issue. It looks similar to bacterial spot or maybe tomato spotted wilt virus, but still pretty different from the images that I have seen. Can anyone help me identify this issue? Thanks!

[Johnniemar]

Looks like bacterial spot to me. But i am no expert. I would spray immediately with a liquid copper and follow up in a few days with daconil.

[Gerardo]

TSWV would show more spots, plus the plant would be stunted, with some weird leaf curl, along with purple-bronze.

Blow on flowers (any flowers) and wait a few seconds, thrips usually come out and investigate when a large mammal threatens to eat them.

As suggested above, give it some Cooper and see how it does.

[bower]

I wonder if it could be pest damage. The lighter spots look like thrips or other tiny pests feeding history to me.. the dark spots could be the oldest feeding areas that are necrotic after being sucked dry. One of your pics the dark parts look sunken as in tissue is collapsed and gone.

Mind you I am no expert in disease either, could be something I've never seen.

[ginger2778]

Bacterial spot, or Septoria. Like the others said liquid copper fungicide at 1/2 of the weakest recommended strength will do the trick with both bacteria and fungi.

[Spartanburg123]

I have a similar issue on two of my plants, looks similar to yours but more spots. Marsha- these are better pictures of what's going on. I did treat with copper today so I hope they make it! I saw no evidence of thrips on any of my plants....

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Spartanburg123

I have a similar issue on two of my plants, looks similar to yours but more spots. Marsha- these are better pictures of what's going on. I did treat with copper today so I hope they make it! I saw no evidence of thrips on any of my plants....

Much better picture. Not Septoria. Septoria has yellowing around the spots, so does bacterial.This is almost definitely TSWV. I am so sorry.

If I was you, I would put out some yellow sticky traps right at transplant, every 5 feet.Thrips are very attracted to the yellow.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Much better picture. Not Septoria. Septoria has yellowing around the spots, so does bacterial.This is almost definitely TSWV. I am so sorry.

If I was you, I would put out some yellow sticky traps right at transplant, every 5 feet.Thrips are very attracted to the yellow.

With years of experience with TSWV I can say that the thrips do tend to attack the lighter more yellow/green plants than the dark green ones. That being said they will still get any tomato plant just that they seem partial to the lighter shaded foliage on some or possibly those varieties are more susceptible.

Bill

[sgladstein]

Thanks for the advice! I sprayed with copper tonight. I will let you know how it goes. I am worried this is because I have a smallish garden right up against a building, so I cannot really rotate the location of my tomatoes.

[zipcode]

Spartanburg, yours are not similar since they are on the younger leaves. Yours are actually quite suspicious of TSWV, but I think you are more familiar with that disease then me.

To OP: I am almost certain it's not septoria, I can't really say about bacterial though, I haven't seen any 'live'. Disease symptoms can differ on certain type of tomato leaf types compared to the standard. My first impression was deficiency. Are the older leaves equally affected or are the ones exposed to the sun mostly?

[Gerardo]

@spartanburg: Cheetarah + curling + sudden onset = tswv.

I've seen some extremely susceptible plants like yours, and others that can handle it.

[b54red]

If it is a young plant with TSWV which it appears to be then it will not survive long. If it stops growing vigorously and new growth starts looking stunted and discolored over the next week or so then you might as well pull it and replace it. If on the other hand it keeps setting new fruit and growing just let it continue. I have had large healthy plants continue producing for quite a while after getting TSWV; but not often.
Good luck.

Bill

[seaeagle]

Neither one of those are Septoria in my opinion. Spartanburg's is definitely not Septoria. Septoria is the only leaf disease I get so I am familiar with that one.


My cure for Septoria is pair of scissors and some sunshine. Never lost a plant to Septoria and never sprayed for it. That may or may not work with other leaf disease.

[Spartanburg123]

Thanks folks- that’s a shame. Both plants are beautiful and have set numerous fruit. I will pull the when I return. I lost two last year, and they happened to be in the same spots!

[jillian]

Ugghhhh!!!!!! What a shame !