Fighting phytophthora on tomatoes

Phytophthora fungi - a disease of plants, numbering no less than forty species. Distributed in all parts of the world, except in permafrost areas. However, even in the absence of natural vegetation, the disease can penetrate into the greenhouses, along with contaminated seeds or seedlings. It affects all plants of the Solanaceae family: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, pepper. Other crops are subjected to it: strawberries, buckwheat, castor oil. The article describes in detail the fight against phytophthora on tomatoes.

How does the disease manifest itself?

Phytophthora or late blight appears on all parts of the tomato bush. The first signal is the appearance of brown spots on the leaves, mainly along the edges. If the stalk formed dark bands, you should expect that soon and on the fruit will be brown or silvery spots. At this stage, the fight against phytophthora on tomatoes no longer yields results, one can only try to save part of the crop by removing bushes from the site. They need to be burned, and the rest to be processed with folk remedies or chemicals. Most often the affected fruit can not be brought to maturity, they rot, and the bush gradually withers. Disputes of phytophthora are extremely tenacious. They winter in the soil at the lowest temperatures, remaining in roots, scraps of stems and seeds of plants remaining after harvesting. Since spring, at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, they begin to multiply actively, rain streams carry them from one bed to the next. Moreover, spores can easily be carried by the wind for many kilometers. A truly bacterial war, in which it is very difficult to win.

Methods to combat late blight

Before processing tomatoes from phytophthora antibacterial compounds, you need to meet a number of pre-emptive requirements. The main thing is not to plant tomatoes or other Solanaceae on the same place for two consecutive years, and also not to alternate them with each other. Before planting seeds or seedlings, it is necessary to treat them with fungicides, for example Bordeaux liquid or "Hom" preparation. It is unacceptable to use sick seed. Fighting phytophthora on tomatoes is a constant care for bushes. It is impossible to allow thickening of plantings, excessive moistening of the soil. Lower leaves touching the ground, as well as dried out shoots should be regularly removed. Fruits are best collected unripened and leave to ripen under a light canopy in dry boxes or boxes. Now about what to spray tomatoes from phytophthora. The most famous remedy is the Bordeaux liquid. Copper vitriol stains bushes and earth, and therefore many in aesthetic purposes prefer its analogue "Hom" - copper oxychloride. True, experienced truck farmers still consider the first tested composition to be more effective. At the same time, others say that copper sulphate is yesterday. Today in specialized stores offer a variety of fungicides against phytophthora, among which good reviews are the preparations "Fitosporin", "Ridomil". It should be noted that the problem can not be solved by a single treatment, it will have to be repeated at least 3-4 times during the growing season.

The fight against phytophthora on tomatoes folk remedies

The composition of all chemical preparations for fighting this fungus is copper. Considering this, some vegetable growers use the original method of prevention (but not treatment!) Of the disease. A copper wire of small diameter, cut into pieces 2-2.5 cm long, pierces the stem of the tomato at the base. Reacting with the juice of the plant, the microelement spreads throughout the bush and protects it from damage by bacteria. 100% of the results no one guarantees, but you can try, there will be no harm. Milk whey is another folk remedy. 1-2 liters dilute in a bucket of water and spray the bushes. The effect is that the acidic environment on the surface of the plant prevents the reproduction of fungi. There is an experience of spraying with an aqueous solution of 5% iodine (10 ml per bucket of water). There are many other ways that are harmless to the plant and the health of consumers, and it is better to resort to them more often than to abuse pesticides.