is this bacterial or fungal? HELP!

BigVanVader · June 20, 2016

Went out of town for the weekend and came back to this. I noticed it was wilted Friday but thought it just needed water. Not the case, I looked at several disease identification sites but can't tell what it is. Never seen the whole stem get root nodes before. Here are pics.

Cole_Robbie · June 20, 2016

Last year, it rained so much I had roots growing out of my stems, well off the ground.

It looks like systemic pythium to me, in which case the plant is probably a goner. Each of those lesions is a possible entry point for the pythium.

Labradors2 · June 20, 2016

Aventitious roots! I wouldn't worry about that. The poor thing probably is just terribly thirsty, especially with all that reflected heat from the foil.

I don't know about the leaves though.....

Linda

dustdevil · June 20, 2016

Foil gets hot as h in the sun where I live...I can burn my hand on it. You are claiming it reflects all the sun's heat and doesn't heat the shallow ground below it where the roots are? If so, is it healthy to reflect the sun's heat back at the plant? I wonder why I don't see other's using your technology...I'm trying to learn more.

ginger2778 · June 20, 2016

Give it some fungicide too.

BigVanVader · June 20, 2016

Lol it cools the ground underneath, and it is very moist. I monitor moisture levels almost daily and it has been quite high because of heavy rains. A disease issue no doubt since I have 100 other tomato plants on the mulch that look great. I am just concerned because it's so fast acting. 3 days ago that plant looked perfect.

Patihum · June 20, 2016

I'd say that it's one of the wilts - likely bacterial.

mgk65 · June 20, 2016

I'm going through the same thing. One of my plants wilting at night. Perking up in morning. Then two of my plants wilting.

I suspect a bacterial wilt of some sort. Transmitted with soil.

BigVanVader · June 20, 2016

Ok after pulling it I tested for bacterial wilt, but had noticed the stem seemed hard like a tree branch and after a little research I'm 99% sure it's fusarium wilt. Here are some pics to help others identify.
20160620_211939-resized-960.jpg
No white ooze, so not bacterial wilt.
20160620_212151-resized-960.jpg
Stem is hard and brown around edges. The bumps form because of the restriction. It's like hardened arteries for tomatoes.

BigVanVader · June 20, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by dustdevil

Foil gets hot as h in the sun where I live...I can burn my hand on it. You are claiming it reflects all the sun's heat and doesn't heat the shallow ground below it where the roots are? If so, is it healthy to reflect the sun's heat back at the plant? I wonder why I don't see other's using your technology...I'm trying to learn more.

It is great, here is where I got mine
http://www.growerssolution.com/page/...FcRgfgodOxkB2w

ginger2778 · June 20, 2016

BVV- that photo with the longitudinal cut shows brown along the vascular tissue. Yep- Fusarium. So very sorry to confirm that bad news.

BigVanVader · June 20, 2016

Yeah it definitely sucks. Especially since that is my row of favorites. Do you know if it will spread in the soil to other plants?

Ricky Shaw · June 20, 2016

Sad, gone quick. An excellent learning thread though, I didn't know any of this stuff. Except the foil thing, it lowers my soil temps 10 degrees in containers.

ginger2778 · June 20, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Yeah it definitely sucks. Especially since that is my row of favorites. Do you know if it will spread in the soil to other plants?

I have never had it here, but I THINK once in the soil it always is, and that yes, it does spread.( just think so, not sure) Not the end of the world, now you just need to think about barrier tecnique.

MissS · June 20, 2016

I have had it in the same spot for 3-4 years now. If you do not dig the soil and move it around it will stay pretty much just where it is, or at least that is how it has been for me. I have heard that if you allow the soil to be fallow for three years that it will die out. I have not done that due to lack of space. You can plant varieties that are resistant or plant short season tomatoes hoping that they will ripen before it hits.

My soil has it but it has not ruined my gardening yet.

June 20, 2016	#4
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Foil gets hot as h in the sun where I live...I can burn my hand on it. You are claiming it reflects all the sun's heat and doesn't heat the shallow ground below it where the roots are? If so, is it healthy to reflect the sun's heat back at the plant? I wonder why I don't see other's using your technology...I'm trying to learn more. Last edited by dustdevil; June 20, 2016 at 08:54 PM.

June 20, 2016	#15
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,150	I have had it in the same spot for 3-4 years now. If you do not dig the soil and move it around it will stay pretty much just where it is, or at least that is how it has been for me. I have heard that if you allow the soil to be fallow for three years that it will die out. I have not done that due to lack of space. You can plant varieties that are resistant or plant short season tomatoes hoping that they will ripen before it hits. My soil has it but it has not ruined my gardening yet. __________________ ~ Patti ~

June 20, 2016	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Last year, it rained so much I had roots growing out of my stems, well off the ground. It looks like systemic pythium to me, in which case the plant is probably a goner. Each of those lesions is a possible entry point for the pythium.

June 20, 2016	#3
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,898	Aventitious roots! I wouldn't worry about that. The poor thing probably is just terribly thirsty, especially with all that reflected heat from the foil. I don't know about the leaves though..... Linda

June 20, 2016	#5
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Give it some fungicide too.

June 20, 2016	#6
BigVanVader Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Greenville, South Carolina Posts: 3,099	Lol it cools the ground underneath, and it is very moist. I monitor moisture levels almost daily and it has been quite high because of heavy rains. A disease issue no doubt since I have 100 other tomato plants on the mulch that look great. I am just concerned because it's so fast acting. 3 days ago that plant looked perfect.

June 20, 2016	#7
Patihum Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Southeast Kansas Posts: 878	I'd say that it's one of the wilts - likely bacterial.

June 20, 2016	#8
mgk65 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: WV, Z6 Posts: 16	I'm going through the same thing. One of my plants wilting at night. Perking up in morning. Then two of my plants wilting. I suspect a bacterial wilt of some sort. Transmitted with soil.

June 20, 2016	#13
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	Sad, gone quick. An excellent learning thread though, I didn't know any of this stuff. Except the foil thing, it lowers my soil temps 10 degrees in containers.