Yellow Leaf Curl

[MargeH]

I know that Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl is mostly a problem just in Florida and south Georgia in the U.S., but does anyone here have any experience with it or knowledge of it.

I got it in my plants last year. It was my first time growing tomatoes and by the time I knew what was going on, just about all of my plants had it.

This year's plants that I grew from seed have been outside since early February (I have 41 plants) and all of them have tomatoes set, a couple more than 30. I am pretty sure that the virus is starting again. I was worried about one plant last week; it wasn't a variety that I was really excited about so I pulled it.

This week I think I am beginning to see it in my Extreme Bush plant that should be starting to give me ripe ones in another week or two. It is loaded with tomatoes. The leaves on that one already curl up which makes it harder to identify, but I am beginning to see some yellowing on the newest leaves in one place that doesn't look like the color of new growth.

I know that the whitefly is the vector for this virus. I have seen a few out there but not to the point that I would be spraying for them normally. I guess at this point I need to know what is the best thing to use to kill them.

From everything I have read, it doesn't take much for the insect to spread this virus. So I need to get rid of as many whiteflies as I can to give my plants as much time as I can to set fruit.

Marjorie

[carolyn137]

but does anyone here have any experience with it or knowledge of it.

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Knowledge of it , yes Marjorie but no personal experience.

You asked several questions and I wonder if you've used the sticky posts here in this Forum to find out more about possible control.

In addition, I do think that the U of FL has the best info on this virus and I'd Google it as Tomato Leaf Curl or Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl and look for the U of Fl sites which you can ID b'c they usually have an edu as part of the site addy or any e-mail links given.

I know that many folks in GA and FL and actually along the Gulf Coast are trying to deal with this virus and last time I did some reading in the area there wasn't a good preventative re the white fly.

But do read up on it for the latest info b'c things may have changed since I did my reading several years ago.

[MargeH]

But do read up on it for the latest info b'c things may have changed since I did my reading several years ago.


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Last year when I first got it I did a lot of reading about it. There isn't much new online that I can find since then. The one thing new, I think, I read is that they are having problems with it in peppers in Mexico.

I guess I am just frustrated because I really don't want to go through this again. My plants are really doing well and I can't stand to see what this virus does to them. We haven't had a freeze here in about 3 years, so I am sure that there is some weed or plant near my home that it is in, just waiting for those bugs to come back.

The main thing I have found them talking about, I guess mostly for the growers down here, is resistant varieties. I grew three plants of Sun King, which is supposed to have some resistance and is available to home gardeners, in the fall. None of them showed signs of it when several others that I grew then did. It was just an OK tasting tomato and I really hate to be limited to growing only it or some other hybrid that they release to the public.

I was just looking for anyone with personal experience, I guess.


Marjorie