Courtesy Purdue Extension/ Bethany Ratts
In 2009 , previous blight affected Lycopersicon esculentum and potato crop across the Northeast and Midwest , but the threat of the disease returning in 2010 is unlikely .
Afterlate blightwas such a burden in 2009 , tomato growers in the Northeast and Midwest wonder if the potentially fatal disease will shoot harvest again this yr . expert at Purdue University say a repeat of last class ’s outbreak is improbable .
Although former blight , which thrive in coolheaded , damp consideration , should not render as aggressively as it did in 2009 , love apple growers still should be aware of symptoms , says Daniel Egel , a plant diagnostician at the Purdue conjunct denotation .
“ Late blight causes large browned lesions on Lycopersicon esculentum leaves and stems that under moist conditions are often surround with the livid fungus , ” Egel says . “ Symptoms triggered by late blight may seem like other common tomato disease and , thus , may be well missed if not direct for accurate diagnosis . ”
Late blight , which is do by a fungus call in Phytophthora infestans , is spread by spore bear by wind , rainfall , or through seeds or transplants . It does not live in territory or utter plants . The late blight outbreak in 2009 is believed to have been because of septic tomato transplants sold to homeowner at retail stores and circularise to other plants before it could be stopped .
In 2009, late blight affected tomato and potato crop across the Northeast and Midwest, but the threat of the disease returning in 2010 is unlikely.
“ These plants were grow in the South , where late blight is more probable to winter , and shipped north , ” Egel says . “ From homeowners , the disease jumped to commercial agriculturist as well . ”
Courtesy Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic research laboratory
previous blight can impact a tomato plant ’s leaf , shank or fruit . Send these parts to the lab when have your plant test .
Tomato growers , including those who develop in containers , who distrust the disease is affecting their plant can reach a county pedagog and send a sampling to a flora and pest symptomatic laboratory . Call your local cooperative extension to see if it offer this service of process .
Send the infected part of the plant to be try out , say Egel . recent blight symptoms can show up on the leaves , stem or yield .
“ root of tomato plants wo n’t show symptom , but potato tubers might , ” he says .
In the display case of sustain belated blight , pesticides containing the fungicide chlorothalonil can be used to avail stop the spread of the disease to uninfected plants . Organic agriculturalist may find that copper product will slow the spread of late blight .
If you point out your tomatoes showing symptom of later blight , take these steps to snuff out the late blight fungus , and keep you and your 2010 harvest safe :
