Watery Rotty Areas on Tomatoes!

GoDawgs · June 26, 2018

I've looked through all the tomato disease links I have, including that wonderful Tomato Fruit Disorders pdf here but I can't find the problem several tomatoes here have just had. Can anyone help with an ID?

This is a Golden Girl and it has a soft fluid-filled area on the side and I found another one like it on a Creole too. Two days ago my sister found a tomato completely gone with it, like a bag of nastiness that smelled to high heaven. I've never encountered this before and it's just started. A close inspection shows no other fruit involved so far.

Any recommendations on what it is and how to protect the other tomatoes?

ginger2778 · June 26, 2018

Happens to my early season fruit every year. The stem end usually is rough, bacteria gets in, and it rots. Mostly all form better with smoother stem connections a littke later on, then this goes away. I do still get a few even later in the season.

**carolyn137** · June 26, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoDawgs

I've looked through all the tomato disease links I have, including that wonderful Tomato Fruit Disorders pdf here but I can't find the problem several tomatoes here have just had. Can anyone help with an ID?

This is a Golden Girl and it has a soft fluid-filled area on the side and I found another one like it on a Creole too. Two days ago my sister found a tomato completely gone with it, like a bag of nastiness that smelled to high heaven. I've never encountered this before and it's just started. A close inspection shows no other fruit involved so far.

Any recommendations on what it is and how to protect the other tomatoes?

What you have there is called sour rot and yes,it does stink to high heavens. As it progresses you can end up with a fruit that contains nothing but water from the decay of the inner structure.Actually it looks like a bag of water/liquid.

https://www.google.com/search?source....0.NVMAt8TM6DU

Carolyn

b54red · June 27, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

What you have there is called sour rot and yes,it does stink to high heavens. As it progresses you can end up with a fruit that contains nothing but water from the decay of the inner structure.Actually it looks like a bag of water/liquid.

https://www.google.com/search?source....0.NVMAt8TM6DU

Carolyn

Thanks for the information. I have been seeing this all my life and never knew what it was or what caused it. I never had a lot of it but it was a stinking mess when it did hit a tomato.

Bill

GoDawgs · June 27, 2018

Thank you so much for the information! Now, I read where some tomato packing houses use a chlorine rinse on harvested tomatoes to prevent post-harvest rot issues.

Question: Would a light 10% mix of chlorine misted on tomato clusters help or hurt what tomatoes are out there now in case there's more bacteria lurking about?

brownrexx · June 27, 2018

Your tomato need to have some sort of injury or opening for the bacteria to invade the inside if the fruit. Bacteria is everywhere both in the soil and floating in the air which is why anything laying on the ground will rot.

Did you ever notice how a tomato with a crack will develop rot in that area? Same thing. It's bacteria entering an opening in the fruit.

I would not worry about it and I would not want to spray my tomatoes with chlorine.

You could pick your tomatoes at first blush and let them finish ripening indoors. Experts here say that this does not affect the flavor and keeps them safe from rot, cracking or predators.

**carolyn137** · June 27, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoDawgs

Thank you so much for the information! Now, I read where some tomato packing houses use a chlorine rinse on harvested tomatoes to prevent post-harvest rot issues.

Question: Would a light 10% mix of chlorine misted on tomato clusters help or hurt what tomatoes are out there now in case there's more bacteria lurking about?

This Google search should answer your question

https://www.google.com/search?q=trea...&bih=815&dpr=1

There's a HUGE difference between treating fruits with chlorine itself and Chlorine Dioxide GAS.

And one of those links even mentions Sour Rot.

Carolyn

GoDawgs · June 28, 2018

Thanks again or the inputs and links. I've already been bringing some near-ripe tomatoes inside to finish ripening after seeing the first soft-rotted tomato. This is the first year in a while where the plants have been so loaded with large fruit. There's been no change in growing regimen so go figure. I'd just hate to see them all go down the drain.

Again, thanks for the help!

brownrexx · June 28, 2018

It's probably unlikely that they will ALL have damaged spots for bacteria to enter so I wouldn't worry too much about losing them all but even a stinkbug bite punctures the skin and can allow bacteria to enter. We just can't control that.

June 26, 2018	#1
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Watery Rotty Areas on Tomatoes! I've looked through all the tomato disease links I have, including that wonderful Tomato Fruit Disorders pdf here but I can't find the problem several tomatoes here have just had. Can anyone help with an ID? This is a Golden Girl and it has a soft fluid-filled area on the side and I found another one like it on a Creole too. Two days ago my sister found a tomato completely gone with it, like a bag of nastiness that smelled to high heaven. I've never encountered this before and it's just started. A close inspection shows no other fruit involved so far. Any recommendations on what it is and how to protect the other tomatoes?

June 26, 2018	#2
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Happens to my early season fruit every year. The stem end usually is rough, bacteria gets in, and it rots. Mostly all form better with smoother stem connections a littke later on, then this goes away. I do still get a few even later in the season.

June 27, 2018	#5
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Thank you so much for the information! Now, I read where some tomato packing houses use a chlorine rinse on harvested tomatoes to prevent post-harvest rot issues. Question: Would a light 10% mix of chlorine misted on tomato clusters help or hurt what tomatoes are out there now in case there's more bacteria lurking about?

June 27, 2018	#6
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Your tomato need to have some sort of injury or opening for the bacteria to invade the inside if the fruit. Bacteria is everywhere both in the soil and floating in the air which is why anything laying on the ground will rot. Did you ever notice how a tomato with a crack will develop rot in that area? Same thing. It's bacteria entering an opening in the fruit. I would not worry about it and I would not want to spray my tomatoes with chlorine. You could pick your tomatoes at first blush and let them finish ripening indoors. Experts here say that this does not affect the flavor and keeps them safe from rot, cracking or predators.

June 28, 2018	#8
GoDawgs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Augusta area, Georgia, 8a/7b Posts: 1,685	Thanks again or the inputs and links. I've already been bringing some near-ripe tomatoes inside to finish ripening after seeing the first soft-rotted tomato. This is the first year in a while where the plants have been so loaded with large fruit. There's been no change in growing regimen so go figure. I'd just hate to see them all go down the drain. Again, thanks for the help!