If you suspect your garden is infected, here are the quickest ways to identify this disease. When conditions are right, the pathogen is known for producing lots of spores at rapid speed, spreading far distances. This is why cleaning up plant debris is so important. Consider checking your plants for symptoms about every 2-3 days.ĭid you know? Oomycete spores can survive on living plant material, in volunteer plants or fallen leaves, remaining dormant until conditions are right. Keep an eye on your forecast so you can be prepared. If these conditions occur, late blight can infect a whole plot of tomatoes within 10 hours to 2 days. This disease shows up later in the season in most regions because the oomycete pathogen prefers wet conditions and temperatures between 60° and 78° with around 90% humidity for 3-5 days. Ideal Disease Conditions Late blight thrives in wet conditions and specific temperatures, rapidly infecting tomato plots. These cultivars should be considered, especially if you live in a region where this problem is prevalent, like a moist, humid region.ĭid you know? The term “variety” refers to a plant that has developed with little human interference, whereas a “cultivar” refers to a plant intentionally produced by selective breeding to allow growers to grow crops with a decreased chance of damaging viruses, diseases, and pathogens. There have been trials for many years to create “cultivars” that are disease-tolerant or less susceptible. This was caused by the same oomycete pathogen that we see today! You may recall the Irish Potato Famine of the mid-19th century that led to mass starvation and destroyed most of the Irish potato crop. “Solanaceous” refers to anything in the nightshade family. Late blight appears mainly on tomatoes, potatoes, and some ornamental relatives of these crops, like solanaceous weeds and even petunias. They stick to surfaces by releasing a gelatinous secretion and feed on decaying matter they find along the surfaces.ĭid you know? Zoospores can travel up to 50 miles in the wind, infecting farms and gardens nearby! This is why, during rainy seasons with lots of high winds from storms, hurricanes, etc., you might hear about this disease “moving up the coast.” It’s quite literally being carried up the coast in various weather patterns! What Crops Does Late Blight Affect? This pathogen affects tomatoes, potatoes, and related crops, including solanaceous weeds and petunias. Zoospores then use their flagellum to propel themselves and move quickly through water on wet surfaces like plant leaves and stems, finding nooks and crannies to sit in and infect. Zoospores are produced asexually within the sporangia. Simply put, oomycetes produce sporangia that look like brown spots on the leaves or petioles of tomato plants. Late blight infects your plants through structures similar to spores. How Tomato Blight Spreads Oomycetes produce sporangia that cause brown spots on tomato plants. Other water molds include damping off, root rots, and downy mildew. Oomycetes are also called “water molds,” which makes sense because they usually show up during extensive wet periods and travel in water. Oomycetes are now included in the kingdom Protista. However, after years of research and studies, it has been determined that these organisms are actually more closely related to algae and green plants. Oomycetes (organisms of the phylum Oomycota) used to be classified as a part of the Kingdom fungi due to their filamentous growth pattern and the fact that they feed on decaying matter. This pathogen attacks tomatoes, potatoes, and other nightshade crops. Tomato blight (also called late blight because it occurs later in the season than “ early blight”) is caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, which have fungus-like qualities. What is Tomato Late Blight? Tomato blight is caused by Phytophthora infestans, a fungal-like disease that occurs later in the season. Here you’ll learn how to quickly diagnose, treat, and prevent tomato late blight. Understanding late blight and how it spreads is key because it can devastate your tomato and potato crop very quickly if proper care is not taken. Is it a bacteria, a disease, or virus?Īs with anything in gardening, it is important to understand what is happening and why so you can better understand how to treat and prevent it in the future. Does it live in the soil? Can you get it from your neighbor’s garden? Some say it moves up the coast during rainy periods and can travel miles in the wind. We’ve all heard about “the blight,” and some confusing and conflicting information exists. How to Properly Dispose of Infected Plants.
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