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Tomatoes are a rather “capricious” and “tender” culture. With serious errors in care, uncomfortable conditions of detention, and other problems, their immunity and endurance decrease, they become susceptible to fungal and other diseases. One of the most common is tomato septoria. It is quite realistic to save the bushes affected by the pathogen, if the problem is noticed on time – there are effective folk remedies and purchased drugs. And simple prevention and competent agricultural technology significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease.
Description and photo of septoria
Septoria or white spot is a fungal disease that is characteristic not only for tomatoes, but also for many other horticultural crops. At the same time, the pathogen is distinguished by “specialization”: for example, a type of fungus that affects tomatoes is safe for grapes.
The experience of gardeners shows that bushes in “street” beds need treatment for septoria much more often than tomatoes in greenhouses and hotbeds. However, it is impossible to assume that plantings in closed ground are completely insured against the pathogen.
In Our Country, the disease is ubiquitous. In general, the “habitat” of the causative agent of tomato septoria coincides with the territories of the regions where they are cultivated.
A fairly mild temperate climate is considered optimal for the fungus.
Causes of appearance
The fungus overwintering in plant debris or surface layers of the soil provides the primary infection of tomatoes. If nothing is done, the emerging mycelium penetrates the surface tissues, new spores form, the bush itself becomes infected with septoria a second time, while spreading the pathogen.
Tomatoes can “pick up” septoria not only from the soil. Fungus spores are carried by insects and gusts of wind, they are “washed away” from diseased bushes to healthy raindrops and jets of water during irrigation.
Often the bushes require treatment and the fault of the gardener. He becomes a “peddler” of tomato septoria if he neglects the disinfection of seeds before planting, containers, equipment, tools, gloves. The fungus infects healthy bushes, penetrating into tissues through microcracks or more serious mechanical damage.
Also, the gardener can be “guilty” of neglecting weeding. Wild weeds from the Solanaceae family are suitable for the causative agent of Septoria as “intermediate” hosts. From them, he “spreads” to tomatoes and other horticultural crops, which then require treatment.
Plant debris is the “home” for many pests and pathogens
Signs of occurrence
The earliest sign of septoria is multiple, small (2-3 mm in diameter), as if “watery” spots on the front side of tomato leaves. After a few days, they change their shade to grayish-white, a brick-red border appears, gradually becoming brown.
If nothing is done, small black “grains” appear in the center of the growing spots. The unaffected part of the leaf plate turns yellow. Then, without treatment, the leaves curl and fall off.
The first signs of tomato septoria appear on the oldest leaves; the top of the bush, even without treatment, often remains healthy in appearance
What is dangerous disease
The main danger of septoria for tomatoes – without treatment, it provokes a “massive” leaf fall. “Bald” bushes are unable to provide themselves with food and oxygen due to serious disruptions in the process of photosynthesis and metabolism.
The plant tries to “compensate for the losses” with new leaves, but they turn out to be small, deformed. All his strength is spent on this, respectively, new buds, ovaries do not appear, the ripening of fruits stops.
Without treatment, losses in tomato crop due to septoria are 25-40%
How to treat white spot on tomatoes
In the early stages, tomato septoria responds well to treatment, the disease goes away without negative consequences for the bushes. It is quite possible to get by with folk remedies and biological products. In the later stages of its development, chemicals with fungicidal properties are used. Agrotechnical methods are an effective means for “support” of plants.
Agrotechnical methods
Competent agricultural technology helps to provide the bushes with the most comfortable conditions for growth and development. The most important events:
- Planting bushes in a well-lit and sun-warmed place.
- Regular ventilation of the greenhouse to reduce air humidity. In open ground, tomatoes are planted in a place where they will be provided with access to fresh air.
- Regulation of watering depending on the weather outside. There is no specific scheme; it is necessary to focus on the condition of the bushes and the substrate.
- Proper fertilization. Bushes provided with everything necessary are more powerful and stronger than those that are deficient in macro- and microelements. They are less likely to get sick and need treatment.
- Gradual removal of lower leaves. This reduces the risk of “picking” septoria from the ground and at the same time “redirects” most of the bush’s resources to fruit ripening.
Tomatoes are not recommended to be watered in such a way that drops of water fall on the plants – this is another opportunity to “move” pathogens from diseased bushes to healthy ones.
Folk remedies
There are a lot of folk remedies with antiseptic properties that can destroy the fungi that cause tomato septoria. For the treatment of the disease in the early stages are used:
- A solution of table or sea salt (1 kg per 10 liters of water).
- Serum or kefir diluted with water (1 l per 10 l) with the addition of iodine (10-12 drops).
- A bright pink solution of potassium permanganate (about half a teaspoon per 10 liters of water).
- Garlic infusion. With crushed heads or arrows, fill the container by about a third, lightly tamp, add warm water to the brim. Infuse for 5-7 days in a dark, warm place under a tightly closed lid. Strain before use, dilute with water 1:1.
- A decoction of horsetail or wormwood. Fresh greens (200 g) are crushed, poured with a liter of boiling water, kept on low heat for 30-40 minutes. The broth is cooled to room temperature, filtered. To treat tomatoes for septoria, it is poured into 10 liters of water.
Sour-milk products create an acidic environment that is detrimental to pathogenic fungi.
Effective drugs for tomato septoria
Regardless of the type of drug for the treatment of tomatoes from septoria, it is used exactly following the instructions. We must not forget about personal protective equipment, even if the manufacturer indicates that it is completely safe for humans. The minimum set includes thick rubber gloves, goggles and a respirator.
Biological products have a short “waiting period”, they can be used even shortly before harvest. They do not begin to act immediately, in severe cases they only slow down the development of tomato septoria, without providing a complete treatment. They are also used for preplant seed treatment.
For the treatment of tomatoes from septoria, they are processed:
- Planrhizoma;
- Alirin-B;
- Fitosporin-M;
- Baktofit;
- Maxim.
Agrochemicals are the most powerful means available to the gardener. This is associated with a quick and pronounced effect, a long “waiting period” after processing. If used incorrectly, such drugs will do more harm to plants and the environment than good, so any “amateur” when working with them is excluded.
You can get rid of white spotting on tomato leaves with:
- Fundazol;
- Ordana;
- Previcura;
- Oxychoma;
- Topaz.
A solution of most drugs for the treatment of tomato septoria must be used immediately
How to treat septoria on tomato seedlings
Tomato seedlings need treatment for septoria infrequently. The use of agrochemicals will do seedlings more harm than good. In addition, not all tools can be used at home. If the white spot of tomatoes is noticed at an early stage, it is recommended to treat the seedlings with a biofungicide, and after 7-10 days to carry out foliar feeding with a biostimulator.
Septoria resistant tomatoes
Tomatoes that are completely resistant to septoria, despite the claims of seed manufacturers on packages, do not exist. It’s just a marketing ploy. Breeders have so far managed to achieve greater resistance of certain varieties and hybrids to pathogen damage – they rarely need treatment, even if the weather favors the activation of the fungus, and the gardener makes mistakes in care.
Tomatoes that resist septoria better than others:
- The Golden Fleece;
- Amiko;
- Platus F1
- Ballad;
- Worthy;
- The miracle of F1
- Khoriv;
- Beryl F1;
- Mondial;
- Joker;
- Dressed.
“Stress resistance” is one of the criteria that a gardener must consider when choosing a variety.
Preventive measures
In order not to have to put into practice measures to treat tomatoes from septoria, experienced gardeners strongly recommend that you study in advance effective measures that can significantly reduce the risk of damage to bushes by a fungus and regularly put them into practice:
- Accounting for the rules of crop rotation and “neighborhood” in the beds. With the constant planting of tomatoes and other Solanaceae in one place, spores of pathogenic fungi, including those causing septoria, constantly accumulate in the soil. If you plant them in neighboring beds, it increases the likelihood that neighbors will also need treatment.
- Compliance with the landing plan. With “constraint” in the beds, an atmosphere is created conducive to the activation of the fungus.
- Good selection of varieties and hybrids. They must be zoned for this region. If the local climate is completely unsuitable for tomatoes, it is not certain that they will survive at all and bring a crop. And almost certainly they will need treatment for septoria and other diseases during the season.
- Disinfection of seeds of “dubious” origin before planting, including self-harvested. Tomato septoria remains on the surface of the seed coats. If they are infected and the gardener neglects this stage of preparation, the bushes will need treatment already at the stage of growing seedlings.
- Antiseptic treatment of garden tools, equipment, gloves every time after work. Otherwise, the gardener himself may become a “carrier of infection”, including the causative agent of tomato septoria.
- Regular site inspections. Bypassing the beds at least once every 7-10 days, you can notice the first signs of damage to tomatoes by septoria. At an early stage, treatment is much easier, the disease goes away with minimal negative consequences.
- Garter bushes, “laying down” on the garden bed, installing supports for them, removing the lower leaves touching the ground. Septoria, like many other fungi, tomatoes are often “picked up” from the ground. Shrubs with a “bald” stem require less treatment.
- Smart watering. “Swamp” in the garden is one of the main reasons contributing to the development of tomato septoria. Also, in order to avoid stagnant water in the soil, regular loosening of the soil and mulching of plantings are recommended.
- Timely nitrogen fertilizing, the correct dosage of fertilizers. With an excess of this macroelement in the soil, the immunity of tomatoes weakens, they become susceptible to septoria and other diseases.
- Autumn “cleaning” in the beds. The causative agent of tomato septoria successfully overwinters in plant debris. So that the culture does not need treatment next season, all garbage is removed from the garden and burned. It is also recommended to dig or loosen the soil well, and in the greenhouse – to replace the surface layer of the soil or disinfect it.
Treatment of the disease when trying to save space in the garden is difficult, as the pathogen spreads faster
Conclusion
Tomato septoria is easier to prevent than to cure, since the disease develops and spreads quickly enough, causing serious crop losses. The best prevention in this case is competent agricultural technology, there are other effective measures, for example, planting varieties and hybrids that are better resistant to the pathogen. Biological preparations and folk remedies will help to cope with the disease in the early stages of development; in severe cases, agrochemicals with fungicidal properties are used.
Reviews on the treatment of tomato septoria
