Prevention and treatment of tomato fusarium.

Fusarium or as it is also called "Fusarium tomato wilting" is an infectious fungal disease. With its spores, the fungus completely fills the entire plant from the inside, during its entire life the fungus secretes substances that gradually kill the plant from the inside. Also, the spores of the fungus completely clog the entire wiring system of the plant, respectively, not the juice and all the nutrients can no longer move through the plant, and accordingly, from this it simply withers and dies over time.

Signs of fusarium

Fusarium is a fairly common disease among tomatoes, which is very common in our time. Initially, when this disease manifests itself, spots appear on the leaves of tomatoes, and after that the trunk and root system of the tomatoes itself suffer. When the fruits are already hanging on the seedlings, they are also amazed. The fruits just start to rot. Sure,
this disease can be cured, but still, like any other disease, it is better to prevent than to cure.

In addition to the fact that the disease destroys tomatoes from the inside, it also suffers from the outside. Even after the plant dies or the gardener removes it from the site on his own, the fungus still remains in the ground and is able to actively infect newly planted plants. From the ground, in addition to the fact that the fungus infects the newly planted plants, as well as the previous ones, the leaves, stems and roots, in addition to this, the fungus enters the plant through any slightest damage.

In case of fusarium disease, the first signs can be seen on the leaves of the tomato. They very sharply begin to turn yellow, and the veins on the leaf become even lighter than the leaf itself. The petioles of tomatoes completely change their shape, and the leaves, after some time after yellowing, begin to curl inward, while they wither very quickly.

At the next stage of the development of the disease, after the leaves are withered, the stem of the seedling begins to darken, and it does this from the ground, gradually rising to the base of the tomato. The root collar at this time is actively covered with fungal spores. Shoots, starting from the top, the shoots wither very quickly, and then dry up. The fruits at this time are already beginning to rot, and the place of rotting very quickly becomes covered with a white bloom. There are varieties of tomatoes that can withstand this dangerous disease. But there are very few such varieties. Such varieties as have excellent immunity: “Plot "," Swallow ","Pink giant"," Sun "," Meron».

What causes this disease

A fungus such as fusarium can appear at absolutely any time during the entire summer season. But basically, infection occurs at a time when the fruits are just emerging and actively growing. and also very often infection occurs during the ripening of fruits, because tomatoes are especially vulnerable at this time, because the seedling gives absolutely all its strength to the fruit.
The very peak of the spread of the fungus begins at a time when the daytime temperature is set as standard from +20 and above.

Just like any type of fungus, this disease spreads very well during high humidity. And accordingly, at this time during the day, the air temperature is standardly high, but at night it gets cold, which, accordingly, is very popular with fungal diseases. Also, the fungus develops very actively when the tomatoes are very close to each other, respectively, there is simply no ventilation between them. Especially often this type of fungus, like the others, develops in a greenhouse, and there, as everyone has known for a long time, the humidity is always increased.

Also, when tomatoes are planted in the same place for several years in a row, it only increases the risk of disease. And when there is little sunlight for tomatoes, this does not affect them in the best way. If you apply fertilizers too often, in which there is a lot of nitrogen and chlorine, this also contributes to the development of the fungus. Tomatoes are very fond of regular watering, and if there is not enough moisture for them, then the root system of the plant will simply dry out.

Very often, Fusarium infects plants, not only remaining in the ground, but also spreads easily through seeds that were collected from an infected tomato. It is also possible to transfer the fungus to healthy plants through garden tools that have not been properly processed, through which the spores of the fungus got from the infected soil into the healthy one. Accordingly, this is how this dangerous disease spreads.

What is the danger of fusarium

If you look at the description of this disease, then it is dangerous precisely because it very much damages the root system, and this, in principle, is the most dangerous for tomatoes. And all this, because water and nutrition with useful elements occurs precisely through the roots. As the fungus spreads both inside and outside the plant, it simply kills the plant, and rather quickly. If the treatment of the disease is not started immediately, then after a couple of weeks you can lose the entire tomato plantation.

But the difficulty lies in the fact that fusarium very well tolerates chemicals, and it is also very difficult to cure it because the fungus also spreads inside the plant, and sometimes it cannot be cured at all.

How to prevent illness

Preventive measures help to avoid the disease, or at least treatment will be easier.
Firstly, you need to observe the planting regime in terms of the fact that you cannot plant seedlings in the same place for several years in a row. It will be possible to return the tomatoes to their original place no earlier than in three years. Also, tomatoes cannot be planted after potatoes, because they suffer from the same diseases.

Also, before sowing seeds, they must be disinfected. The easiest way is to soak the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for several hours. And they can only be planted in warm ground, warmed up at least 15 degrees. But if the seeds were collected from bushes sick with fungus, then they definitely cannot be planted, the seedlings will be definitely infected.

Also, before planting, for neutralization, the seeds can be treated with benzimidazoles, but you need to soak the seeds in these preparations for half an hour two weeks before sowing.

The soil must also be disinfected before planting.

In the fall, the earth must be dug up and watered with a solution of copper sulfate. You can also sprinkle it with dolomite flour or lime. When there is a lot of calcium in the ground, the fungus practically cannot develop. With the same success, the site can be shed with a solution of potassium permanganate and sprinkled with pure wood ash without impurities, as well as sulfur can be added to the ground at this time.
In summer, to neutralize the area where tomatoes grow, the ground can be watered with potassium permanganate with boric acid.

Prevention is a very important procedure in protecting plants from fungal diseases, but you should never forget that the plants themselves need to increase their immunity.

In order for tomatoes to develop well and give a good harvest, you need to create all the conditions they need. The climate should be such that it is good for tomatoes, but not suitable for the development of the fungus.
If, when growing tomatoes in open ground, it is not possible to somehow influence the climate, then when growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, it is you who create it. It is imperative to monitor the temperature, which during the day should not fall below +20 degrees, and the humidity level should not exceed 60%. Measures such as ventilating and darkening the walls of the greenhouse from the inside help with the regulation of humidity.

Seedlings need to strengthen their immunity. To do this, when planting, the seedlings must be treated with special preparations that are sold in any gardening stores.

The most difficult thing in the treatment of fusarium is that at the very early stage it is almost impossible to notice it, and when the fungus becomes clearly visible, it is already difficult to treat. Most often, it is clearly visible at a time when the tomatoes are blooming or even already beginning to bear fruit.

How to cure fusarium

If the disease still occurs, but you do not really feel sorry for your plants, you can completely remove them and carry out a complete disinfection of the site, but if you need your crop, then you can try treatment with biological or chemical preparations.

Biologics themselves are more suitable for prevention than for treating tomato fungus. But they can be treated only if they are mixed with chemicals.

The use of biological products has a good effect and gives strength not only to the plants themselves, but also adds useful substances to the soil.
When the plants do get sick, they need to be treated with special preparations that are suitable specifically for the tomato. But you need to use them carefully, strictly observing the dosage and precautions that are indicated in the instructions on each package of the drug.

Of course, chemical drugs are much more effective and reliable in carrying out treatment than biological ones. But you can use them to treat fusarium disease at least two weeks before harvest. In general, the sooner the better.
For the treatment of fusarium, only three drugs are the most reliable and popular, but they must be used for processing tomatoes clearly in accordance with the indicated dosage and in no case should it exceed it. And these drugs: Falcon, Fundazol, Vectra”, These drugs get inside the plant itself, and heal it completely. But to use as a treatment "Hom", Bordeaux mixture, "Abiga Peak" and similar drugs there is absolutely no point, because they treat only from the outside, but inside the fungus will continue to actively develop.

Of course, this particular fungus is very dangerous, since it kills plants from all sides, and it does it very quickly. Although it can be cured, it will take a lot of time and effort. In the case of this disease, among other things, as with others, it is better to prevent it, and take all preventive measures than to cure, because treatment does not give absolutely any guarantees and may simply not help.