Diseases and pests that affect the tomato crop
Hello, dear steemians. Plants, like us, also suffer from diseases that if not treated in time can cause the death of it. For this reason, I decided to bring you a post about the diseases and pests that affect the tomato crop and how to fight them naturally.
The tomato or tomato plant, Solanum lycopersicum, is a perennial plant found within the fruit vegetables of the Solanaceae botanical family, as well as potatoes, aubergines and peppers.
When spring arrives, there is also an increase in temperature and humidity that produces high probabilities of diseases in this crop. Then, I presented some of the most common diseases and plagues:
Tomato diseases:
The powdery mildew
It is a fungus belonging to the Erysiphaceae family. This fungus is generated by suitable conditions of temperature and humidity. It is possible to detect it because it appears as a yellow spot that causes necrosis in the center of the leaf of the plant. One of the ways to prevent Oídio is the elimination of previous cultures, the home remedies that we can use for the eradication of the fungus are: wet or powdery sulfur, there is also the manufacture of homemade fungicides with milk, horsetail, infusion of nasturtium or nettle purin. The most recommended garden is to have the plants in the sun because in this way the fungus die.
Tomato mildew
It is a fungus that damages the aerial part of the plant. Its main symptoms are the appearance of spots with an oily appearance that invades most of the leaflet, although in some cases it may be light green or dark in the leaves that extend to the stem and in the immature fruits. Without timely treatment the plant will die. If the crop is in a winter forest, it must be well ventilated and verify that there is no water stagnation in the leaves. The ecological treatment for this fungus is Copper Sulphate or apply homemade fungicides that we can manufacture as the fungicide with milk, horsetail, infusion of nasturtium or nettle purin.
Alternariosis
Known as Altenaria Solani, it generally affects all Solanaceous plants. This disease affects the quality and production of plants. It is possible to recognize it by the appearance of cyclic or angular spots on the leaves, in some cases presenting yellow halos in them. In the stem and petioles black and elongated lesions are generated. One of the ways to prevent the proliferation of this disease in the crop is the elimination of affected fruits and plants, controlling environmental humidity.
Botrytis or Rottenness
It is a parasite that can cause the death of the plant. This causes brown lesions on the stem and petioles that invade the interior of the stem creating a collapse and then the death of it. It is recognized because it generates rot on the leaves. Brown spots appear on the flowers and on the stem. To prevent Botrytis it is necessary to control the level of nitrogen in the soil and remove the plants that are already affected and prune the plant with extreme care, not having the plants close together and eliminate any affected area. we can also fight it with Copper Sulphate, Potassium Soap and Garlic Extract or apply homemade fungicides that we can manufacture as the fungicide with milk, horsetail, infusion of nasturtium or nettle purin.
Tomato pests:
Among the pests that affect the tomato crop we have:
Red spider:
Among the symptoms that cause tomato plants are: appearance of yellow spots and discolorations on the underside of the leaf. If the attacks are severe it is possible to observe the wilting of the plant. The development of this pest is favored by high temperatures and environments. To avoid the development of this pest it is advisable to remove the weeds and remains of previous crops, in addition to fertilizers with excess nitrogen.
Aphids:
The symptoms of the plant when it is infected by these aphids are lumps and deformations in the leaves, as well as secreting a weed that favors the growth of another plague called bold. These are carriers of viruses such as CMV and PVY causing serious damage to tomato plants. To combat this pest we have to opt for the elimination of previous crops and weeds, as well as to eliminate the excess of humidity that exists in the crops of the tomato plant; Another way is to spray the crops with an infusion made with garlic.
White fly:
The adults of this plague colonize the young parts of the plant reproducing quickly placing the egg on the underside of the leaf. When the larvae emerge, they cause irreparable damage to the plant, since they absorb the sage of the leaves causing them to discolour and weaken, directly affecting the fruits. This plague can promote the appearance of bold. One of the ways to avoid this plague is to always make a cleanse of the weeds that appear in the surroundings of the plant as well as never leave the crops at the end of the cycle, because the shoots attract the adults of the fly.
*Recommendations to fight diseases:
Rotate the crop since doing it always in the same place makes the plant susceptible to catching it easily. We can cultivate the tomato plant in the place where it has previously planted leafy vegetables (lettuce or Swiss chard).
It is recommended to make different types of crops.
Make sure to have a healthy and balanced soil with the substrates, for this a layer of quilting should be placed, so we maintain a constant humidity and temperature favoring the fertility of the soil.
Use earthworm humus and organic compost, natural predators, traps and plant extracts for the prevention of pests and diseases.
Keep a moderate irrigation to avoid puddling.
Recommendations to combat pests:
To combat The white fly can use its natural predator (Encarsia Comfortable) a wasp that eats the white fly from inside as it deposits its eggs inside the fly.
To combat the red spider plague it is possible to make a solution based on garlic, or another of potash soap
The calendula attracts the aphid, but we must cultivate them away from the tomato crop in order to attract and remove the aphids from the tomatoes.
It is a natural basil repellent, so its cultivation could be ideal to keep aphids, red spider and worms away.
The wormwood plant is also effective to fight aphids and spider mites.