Early blight is primarily a disease of stressed or senescing plants. Symptoms appear first on the oldest foliage. Affected leaves develop circular to angular dark brown lesions 0.12 to 0.16 inch (3–4 mm) in diameter. Concentric rings often form in lesions to produce characteristic target-board effect.
There are a few signs to look out for when trying to spot blight on your tomato plants. It will cause leaves to shrivel and turn brown. It also causes brown lesions on the leaf stalks, and the plant stems. Blight symptoms on fruit will appear as sunken areas which turn brown.
Remove infected leaves during the growing season and remove all infected plant parts at the end of the season. Apply a synthetic fungicide or an organic fungicide (fixed copper) according to label directions, early in the season, when symptoms appear to slow the spread of the disease.
Field tests have shown that chlorothalonil, maneb, and mancozeb fungicides -- all available at gardening supply stores under a variety of trade names -- provide effective early blight control when used according to label directions and applications are started early in the season.
Cover the soil under the plants with mulch, such as fabric, straw, plastic mulch, or dried leaves. Water at the base of each plant, using drip irrigation, a soaker hose, or careful hand watering. Pruning the bottom leaves can also prevent early blight spores from splashing up from the soil onto leaves.
There's little you can do to save an infected crop, so stopping blight is all about taking precautions to reduce the chances of the disease attacking your crop: Plant healthy, disease-free seed potatoes from a reputable supplier.
The Best Fungicides for Early Blight in Potato is Chatur, Dr. Zole, Samartha, COC 50, and Azozole.
To create a solution that prevents and treats disease, add a heaping tablespoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of vegetable oil, and a small amount of mild soap to a gallon of water and spray the tomato plants with this solution.
Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate):Use: Works well against powdery mildew and early blight. Recipe: Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap (not detergent), and 1 gallon of water. Spray the solution on the plants every 7-14 days.
Fungicides labeled for use on vegetables and containing copper or chlorothalonil may also provide control of early blight if they are carefully applied very early in the course of the disease (before symptoms develop is best) and on a regular basis throughout the rest of the growing season.
A 7-10 day spray schedule with protectant fungicides is a traditional and effective system for early blight control in tomato.
Excessive water in the form of rainfall or overhead irrigation can lead to Phytophthora blight problems in the home garden.
Once blight is positively identified, act quickly to prevent it from spreading. Remove all affected leaves and burn them or place them in the garbage. Mulch around the base of the plant with straw, wood chips or other natural mulch to prevent fungal spores in the soil from splashing on the plant.
The fungus spends the winter in infected plant debris in or on the soil where it can survive at least one and perhaps several years. It can also be seed-borne. New spores are produced the following season. The spores are transported by water, wind, insects, other animals including man, and machinery.
To create a solution that prevents and treats disease, add a heaping tablespoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of vegetable oil, and a small amount of mild soap to a gallon of water and spray the tomato plants with this solution.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has been used as a fungicide since 1933. Recent research has demonstrated that although baking soda can be effective against plant diseases when used with oil, its sodium component can build up and become toxic to plants.
Hydrogen peroxide, well known as an ingredient in disinfectant products, is now also approved for controlling microbial pests on crops growing indoors and outdoors, and on certain crops after harvest. This active ingredient prevents and controls bacteria and fungi that cause serious plant diseases.
8oz of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water, repeat after a rain and then every two weeks or so. after the blight is gone you can use a baking powder spray at 2tbs per gallon of water as a preventative.
Second when tomatos begin to appear and are about 1 inch in diameter lightly sprinkle baking soda around each plant to make them sweeter. Repeat this process again when tomatoes are about half grown. I used a lot of baking soda in his picture so it would show up but about 1/4 cup per plant is plenty.
No, in fact Epsom salt may hasten the spread of blight. It can overload the soil with magnesium, which prevents the plant from getting enough calcium.
Spraying fungicides should begin 7 to 12 days before late blight appears in the plot. Beyond that it is essential for the economic efficiency of the treatment that the choice of the product is adjusted to the infection pressure.
Early blight can be minimized by maintaining optimum growing conditions, including proper fertilization, irrigation, and management of other pests. Grow later maturing, longer season varieties. Fungicide application is justified only when the disease is initiated early enough to cause economic loss.
Velum® Rise potato fungicide is the newest member in a line of crop protection products designed to ensure your potatoes growth throughout their first 75 days when they are most vulnerable to pests and disease.