Tomato cladosporiosis (brown spot): control methods and preparations, resistant varieties

Tomato cladosporiosis is a fungal disease that spreads rapidly and, if not taken care of, the entire crop dies. A favorable environment for the development of brown spotting is considered to be a humid environment. Tomatoes growing both in the greenhouse and in the open field can get sick.

Signs of illness

It is difficult to recognize the fungal infection of tomatoes cladosporiosis at the first stages, as the color of the inner side of the leaves changes. Pale areas are formed on a green background of a tomato leaf, which gradually become brown. Over time, yellow spots of various sizes appear on the outside of the tomato leaf, which darken as the infection spreads.

Fruits are also affected by the disease. Tomatoes do not ripen and often rot. A characteristic feature of the infection is that the pathogen can maintain its activity in favorable conditions throughout the year. Does not die at too low or high temperatures.

Spores of the fungus on a tomato bush can be brought along with garden tools or during watering, they are easily carried by air. They can be in the ground all winter, and after planting new seedlings in conditions of high humidity, they begin their destructive activity.

In a greenhouse, the risk of tomato disease is less, but provided that the required level of humidity is maintained. If it is above 70%, the risk becomes greater. Therefore, it is very important to monitor the watering of tomatoes and the timely ventilation of the room.

If at the initial stage measures were not taken to combat cladosporiosis, then the leaves of tomatoes begin to deform, curl, dry out and fall off. Decreased ability to form fruits.

Fast spread of fungal infection contributes to warm and humid weather. If the summer is characterized by similar conditions, then you need to take care of the prevention of cladosporiosis.

There are many ways to fight and drugs for tomato cladosporiosis. You can use the compositions of folk recipes, ready-made preparations, as well as get acquainted with all kinds of preventive measures.

Prevention measures

Tomato cladosporiosis can be prevented. How to fight so that the problem does not bother? There are a number of preventive measures that will help prevent or minimize the risk of brown spotting:

• if tomatoes are grown in a greenhouse, then it is necessary to maintain air humidity within 70%;
• the greenhouse room must be ventilated and periodically disinfected;
• if there is a lot of lime in the soil, it is useful to add sand;
• before planting tomato seedlings, it is recommended to water the soil with water with the addition of a few drops of potassium permanganate;
• tomato bushes should be planted at a distance so that light and air can freely flow to all parts of the plant;
• it is worth watering the tomatoes as the soil dries;
• in autumn it is necessary to remove all the leaves from the beds (it is better to burn them).

Helps reduce the risk of cladosporiosis infestation of tomatoes by mulching the soil. As a mulch for tomatoes, you can use sawdust, chopped grass, plastic wrap.

To increase resistance to cladosporiosis, you can pour tomatoes with an infusion of herbs and garlic. Best suited nettle, dandelion. Herbs are crushed and thin slices of garlic are added, poured with water, left to infuse for two days.

To a greater extent preventive measures apply to tomatoes grown in a greenhouse.

It is in a closed room that there is a high probability of settling an infection that is difficult to remove. For open ground, the best preventive measure against cladosporiosis is to choose a resistant variety.

Varieties with high fungus resistance

Tomato brown spot is safe for humans. However, the yield is reduced and the tomatoes are much smaller than the declared sizes. Their taste may also suffer.

It's best to play it safe and choose varieties of tomatoes that are resistant to brown spot. For the 2022-2023 harvest, you can choose the following varieties of tomatoes.

Tomatoes Pink Paradise F1 are characterized by medium boundaries of fruit ripening, and have a high yield. The stem can reach 2 meters in height.Preferably grown in greenhouses. The variety shows resistance to cladosporiosis. Be sure to require a garter, the formation and removal of side leaves. The average weight of ripe pink tomatoes is 135 g.

Marissa F1 can reach a height of 3 meters, so they install a support for tying. As the tomato grows, it is necessary to pinch and form the stem. Tomatoes are flattened, red, weighing about 150 g. Cladosporiosis often bypasses this variety.

Kukla Masha F1 variety is known among tomatoes resistant to cladosporiosis. It belongs to the determinant group. The height of the bush does not exceed 85 cm. The fruit ripening period is medium early. Round pink fruits can weigh 250 g. Numerous harvested crops are well stored and transported.

Vezha is an indeterminate tomato variety with medium fruit ripening. The mass of mature red tomatoes is approximately 110 g. They show high resistance to cladosporiosis and other diseases.

Funtik F1 is a hybrid intended for growing in greenhouses, and only the southern regions can allow planting tomatoes in open ground. Tomatoes begin to ripen after 129 days. The plant belongs to the indeterminate group, the stem reaches a height of 2 meters.

Octopus F1 is an indeterminate tomato tree that can reach a height of 5 meters. Be sure to establish a powerful support, a lot of space and light. Tomatoes are arranged in 5-6 pieces per branch and can weigh approximately 250 g.

Fight disease

How to deal with the detection of fungus on tomatoes? In the case when the brown spot of tomatoes has already appeared, control measures will depend on the stage of its development. At the initial stage, if you find leaves with light spots on a tomato bush, you need to get rid of them.

If the spotting on tomatoes is dark brown, then it is better to remove the seedling from the garden along with the roots, and it is useful to treat the remaining plants with preparations containing copper.

Such a fungal disease of tomatoes as cladosporiosis or brown spot can be cured with folk recipes or store-bought drugs.

Compositions for self-prepared tomatoes from cladosporiosis.

• If you find brown spots on the leaves of tomatoes, you can use the following solution. 30 g of potassium chloride and 40 drops of iodine are added to a bucket of water. Iodine disinfects soil and plant surfaces, prevents spores from multiplying, and reduces the risk of re-infection.
• In a bucket of water, you can add a liter of whey and 20 drops of iodine. Such a composition saturates tomato bushes with the necessary nutrients, increases resistance to diseases and stops the spread of fungal spores.
• Help fight cladosporiosis yeast. This component not only destroys the fungus, but also contributes to the active development of the culture. Both dry and live yeast can be diluted in a bucket of water.
• An infusion of wood ash can cope with cladosporiosis. It is left to infuse in water for about three days. Before tillage, the infusion is diluted with water and soap shavings are added.
• You can try alternately watering the tomatoes with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and infusion of ash. For infusion, pour 300 g of ash with 10 liters of water, put on fire and after boiling, keep for another 15 minutes. Then leave to infuse for two days.

Among ready-made formulations for tomatoes, preparations such as Hom, Polyram, Fitosporin, Quadris are very popular and effective.

Hom preparation effectively protects the plant from brown spotting. After processing, a thin film is created on the leaves and stem, which protects for about two weeks. 40 g of solution are dissolved in 10 liters of water.

Processing is best done in the evening when there is no wind or rain.

Brown leaf spot is treated with Polyram. The granules dissolve easily in water. You can process no more than 3 times during the growing season. The validity period is three weeks. The advantage of the drug is absolute harmlessness to humans and insects, stops the reproduction of spores, and is not addictive.

Biopreparation Fitosporin inhibits the growth and spread of fungal infection, disinfects the soil surface, increases the resistance of plants to infection. For tomatoes for 10 liters of water, you need to take 5 g of the drug.

Quadris can be used for both prevention and treatment of tomatoes. It is highly effective against fungi, destroys their spores, and does not pose a danger to the environment. Spraying can be carried out at intervals of two weeks.

Treatment of tomatoes from cladosporiosis by many experienced gardeners is carried out using drugs such as Trichopolum, Metronidazole, Furacilin.

Watering tomatoes with Metronidazole is best in early summer. It is recommended to dissolve 13-15 tablets of the drug in a liter of water. The resulting solution can wipe the leaves themselves.

Every 10-14 days, you can treat tomatoes with Trichopolum. Calculate one tablet per liter of water. The antibiotic fights many pathogens and protects against reinfection.

The drug Furacilin will help to cope with cladosporiosis among tomatoes. One tablet should be dissolved in a liter of water. For the entire growing season, tomatoes can be treated with this preparation three times.

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