Early Blight
and
Septoria Leaf Spot
of Tomato
Sources of Pathogen
Seed and transplants.
Spores dispersed by wind
or water.
Crop debris.
Potential Impact
Loss of leaves.
Sunscald of exposed fruit.
Fruit lesions due to EB.
Poor fruit quality (lower
sugar content).
Plants produce less.
Severity increases over years.
Septoria
Leaf
Spot
Management
Purchase seed from reliable supplier.
Hot water treat seed right before planting.
Rotate land. At least 3 yrs,
Select EB resistant varieties when suitable.
Early maturing varieties have more EB.
Indeterminant varieties have less EB.
Mulch to interfere with spore dispersal.
Hairy vetch might induce resistance.
Rows parallel to prevailing wind.
Management
Wide row and plant spacing.
Separate plantings.
Stake or trellise; disinfect first if used.
Optimum growing conditions.
Drip irrigate or overhead when leaf wetness
period minimally extended.
Work when foliage is dry.
Management
Control weeds and volunteer tomato plants.
Rescue treatments – start very early.
Use disease forecasting system.
Copper fungicides, Sonata biofungicide,
PlantShield (not labeled for this use)
Incorporate crop residue promptly after
harvest.
Early Blight Resistant Varieties
Mountain series from NC:
Mountain Pride, Supreme, Gold, Fresh and Belle.
Late maturing and fruit small.
Cornell Program. First variety
expected available in 2007. More
suitable for northeast.
New Tomato Selection from Cornell
Defoliation
due to
late blight
(US-7)
in 1999
Standard
Susceptible
Variety
Selection with
Resistance to
early blight and
late blight
Treatments - Tomato Early Blight
(Abby Seaman, 2001 and 2002)
Plantshield (Trichoderma harzianum)
drench + foliar applications
Mycostop (Streptomyces griseoviridis) - drench
Trilogy (neem oil) - foliar
Serenade (Bacillus subtilis) - 4 and 8 lb/A foliar
Oxidate (hydrogen dioxide) - foliar
Drench after transplanting (1 or 9 days after).
3 Foliar sprays at 2-week interval.
Treatments - Tomato Early Blight
Treatment
% Diseased Foliage
9/26/01
Plantshield drench
5.6 a
Plantshield foliar
20.0 b
Plantshield drench + foliar
10.0 ab
Trilogy
untreated
8.1 a
21.3 b
Treatments - Tomato Early Blight
Treatment
% Diseased Foliage
10/3/02
Plantshield drench
Plantshield foliar
Plantshield drench + foliar
Mycostop drench
Trilogy
Serenade 8 lb/A
Oxidate
untreated
6.25
8.25
4.50
7.25
8.75
7.00
7.00
11.25
bc
ab
c
bc
ab
bc
bc
a
Organic Tomato Production
Fertility
Low N - vetch cover crop
High N - vetch + peanut meal (50 lb/A N)
Control of Foliar Diseases
Compost tea
Sonata (2 qt/A)(AgraQuest biofungicide)
Compost tea + Sonata
Compost tea + rescue fungicides
Organic Tomato Production
6/1
Flail chopped vetch.
6/11 Transplanted.
6/23 Peanut meal applied.
6/10/04
6/17/04
7/9/04
7/28/04
Tomato Foliar Diseases
Powdery mildew
Septoria leaf spot
Bacterial speck
Compost tea.
Fungicides for organic
production.
Foliar Disease Treatments
Compost tea
applied undiluted with fish hydrolysate (1 oz/15 gal)
and nuFilm P (6 oz/A) on 8, 16, 23, and 29 Jul; 4, 11, 17,
and 25 Aug; and 1 and 8 Sep.
Sonata (2 qt/A)(AgraQuest biofungicide)
applied 11, 17, and 25 Aug; and 1, 8, and 17 Sep.
Rescue fungicides
JMS Stylet oil (5 qt/100 gal) applied on 25 Aug and 1
Sep for powdery mildew.
copper fungicide Champion (4 lb/A) applied on 3, 12
and 17 Sep for all 3 diseases.
Organic Control Tomato Diseases
Treatment
Powdery Mildew Severity
9/1
9/24
Low Nitrogen
Nontreated
11
Compost tea (10X; 7/30 - 9/24) 3
High Nitrogen
Nontreated
11
Compost tea (10X)
10
Sonata (6X)
9
Tea (10X) + Sonata (6X)
8
Tea + Rescue fungicides (5X)
9
53
35
43
46
62
40
40
Organic Control Tomato Diseases
Treatment
Bacterial Speck Incidence (%)
9/24 10/1
Low Nitrogen
Nontreated
Compost tea (10X; 7/30 - 9/24)
High Nitrogen
Nontreated
Compost tea (10X)
Sonata (6X)
Tea (10X) + Sonata (6X)
Tea + Rescue fungicides (5X)
28
36
44
46
18
36
32
38
38
44
42
44
55
48
Organic Control Tomato Diseases
Treatment
Septoria Leaf Spot Incidence
9/24 10/1
Low Nitrogen
Nontreated
Compost tea (10X; 7/30 - 9/24)
High Nitrogen
Nontreated
Compost tea (10X)
Sonata (6X)
Tea (10X) + Sonata (6X)
Tea + Rescue fungicides (5X)
30
35
41
51
28
56
36
45
39
34
52
48
48
41
Organic Control Tomato Diseases
Treatment
Defoliation (%)
9/24
10/1
Low Nitrogen
Nontreated
11
Compost tea (10X; 7/30 - 9/24) 3
High Nitrogen
Nontreated
11
Compost tea (10X)
10
Sonata (6X)
9
Tea (10X) + Sonata (6X)
8
Tea + Rescue fungicides (5X)
9
53
35
43
46
62
40
40
Why Was Compost Tea Ineffective?
Treatment not started early enough?
Need to treat seed or seedlings?
Effective organisms not present?
Change recipe?
Change brewing conditions?
Applied at wrong time?
Evening better than morning?
Nontreated, High N
9/23/04
Compost tea + Rescue fungicides, High N
9/23/04
Compost Tea Recipes
2003 2004
4 lb
4 lb
4 lb 4 lb
12 oz 12 oz
7 oz 4 oz
Ingredient
Grape pumice compost
Leaf-based compost
Vermicompost (manure-based compost)
Kelp (Fertrell Liquid Kelp)
Fish hydrolysate (Organic Gem Liquid
Fish or Neptune’s Harvest Benefits of Fish)
7 oz 16 oz Humic acid (Fertrell Bio-Hume)
60 gal water
Brewed 24 hr in Sotillo Brewer
Compost Tea Expenses, 2004
$6.72 8 lb Vermicompost
$1.89 16 oz Humic acid (Fertrell Bio-Hume)
$1.31 12 oz Kelp (Fertrell Liquid Kelp)
$0.52 4 oz Fish hydrolysate (Neptune)
$10.35
60 gal
$19.16
110 gal/A
$1.92
Fish hydrolysate (2 oz/15 gal)
$1.64
nuFilm P spreader (6 oz/A)
$22.72
per acre cost undiluted
Treatment Costs ($/A)
$22.72 Compost tea (undiluted)
$26.50 Serenade (4 lb/A)
$6.50 Champion (2 lb/A)