Leaves may have become wet from condensation dripping from the tunnel roof, leaks in top of irrigation tubing or water depositing on leaves under high humidity. Early blight, also known as target spot, is a common disease of tomatoes and potatoes.
Following images taken on 17 June 2019 by Sandy Menasha, Vegetable Specialist Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, document that early blight can occur in high tunnel tomatoes. The causal fungus can also cause symptoms on stems and fruit.īelow: Symptoms of early blight on fruit calyx and stem.īelow: One reason tomatoes are grown in high tunnels is to avoid diseases like early blight that are caused by pathogens that need leaves to be wet for several hours in order to infect. Sources of the pathogen are infested seed, debris from infected plants left in or on the soil (where it can survive at least 1 year), and spores from other affected plants dispersed typically short distances by wind, water, insects, or animals.īelow: Early blight symptoms first appear on older leaves near the base of the plant.īelow: Tomato leaves infected with early blight.īelow: Note the ‘target’ appearance of concentric rings. The Verona & Valentine tomato varieties resist early blight. The Red Pearl, Red Grape, & Legend tomato varieties resist late blight. Young seedlings can be killed by stem lesions developing at their base. Mountain Magic, Plum Regal, Defiant PhR, Jasper, Matt’s Wild Cherry, Juliet, Nectar, Cloudy Day, & Stellar tomato varieties resist both early blight & late blight. A 2-inch-thick layer of organic mulch, such as shredded wood mulch or weed-free grass clippings, will create a physical barrier between early blight spores in the soil and the tomato plant’s leaves. Or you can plant the potatoes and tomatoes in separate raised beds or in separate containers so that you can keep the soil separate. The causal fungal pathogen also produces symptoms on stems and fruit. Also, in the case of early blight, minimizing leaf-to-soil contact can prevent disease spread. Apply copper-based fungicides or sulfur sprays one to two weeks before early blight typically appears in your garden. All tomato plants should be sprayed with Bordo Mixture in July to prevent early blight on tomato plants. Spots first appear on older leaves near the base of the plant. Tomatoes affected by early blight exhibit dark, leathery, and sunken spots on the fruit with concentric rings. Early blight is typically splashed by rainfall onto lower leaves early in the season. It can also be transmitted on seeds and transplants. The fungus overwinters in soil and on plant debris. The main symptom of early blight is round leaf spots with a characteristic target appearance due to the dark concentric rings that develop in most spots. This is a very common foliar disease of tomato plants that can result in defoliation and reduced yields.
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