The most important task of every gardener is to preserve a well-grown crop. This problem is especially acute in tomato beds, which are susceptible to infection with one of the most insidious diseases, late blight. It is this attack that causes blackening of the tomato and the death of a significant part of the crop.
What is phytophthora and its causes
Late blight is caused by infecting the plant with the ubiquitous spores of the fungus Phytophthora infestans. The pathogen penetrates the tissues through the stomata and retains the ability to develop over a wide range of temperatures (from 1.3 to 30 ° C).
After infection affects all aboveground organs of the plant. Brown spots appear on the upper side of the leaves; a faint white bloom is found on the lower side. Over time, the leaves, and after them, and the stems completely darken and die. Fruits are covered with extensive hard brown or dark brown spots that grow and penetrate deeper and deeper.
The main source of pathogens in the soil is infected plant residues, on which they safely overwinter, and with the onset of heat enter into a new life cycle. In this case, it is sufficient to come in contact with the plant on which the fungus has settled, so that the spores spread throughout the site or in the greenhouse.
For the life of any fungus requires enough moisture, and late blight is no exception. Her disputes are activated in the following conditions:
high humidity (over 75%), which persists for a long time;
fluctuations in day and night temperatures that lead to the formation of dew on the leaves;
heavy continuous rains.
The risk of infection increases if high humidity is accompanied by cloudy cool weather with moderate thermal conditions (+ 15-20˚С).
In dry hot conditions, spores quickly die, and favorable conditions for the development of late blight develop, as a rule, in the second half of summer. However, as practical experience shows, it is too late to fight this disease after a massive infection. It is more effective to take preventive measures, and in the event of the appearance of disease foci, promptly resort to the most effective means.
Preventive measures against late blight
Harvesting plant residues
After the end of the growing season, all remnants of solanaceous crops are removed and burned, even if no visible signs of phytophtora were noticed on them.
Soil preparation
Suppress the spores of the fungus in the soil help copper-containing (1 tablespoon. Per 10 liters of water) and bacterial preparations (, Baikal-EM), solutions of which are processed not only the soil, but all surfaces in greenhouses.
In the protected ground, all working equipment and tools are also disinfected, and the old trellis is removed.
Observing proper planting patterns and removing leaves
In thickened plantings, phytophthora receive an additional stimulus for active development. Such beds are poorly ventilated, accumulate condensate and become a comfortable breeding ground not only for pathogenic microflora, but also for pests.
Growing resistant varieties and hybrids
As a rule, these include early varieties of tomatoes, in which late blight resistance is explained by early maturity. Such varieties or hybrids have time to pass the phase of active fruiting before the onset of adverse conditions in August-September.
Creating an optimal nutritional regime
A weakened plant is a convenient target for phytophtoras. An excess of nitrogen, as well as a deficiency of phosphorus, potassium, iodine, copper, manganese, calcium, negatively affects the immunity of tomatoes.
Organization of proper watering
Tomato is one of those crops for which sprinkling is not recommended. Optimally organize on tomato beds or water them exclusively under the root.
Processing plants with contact and
The development of late blight is inhibited by preparations containing copper and some bacterial cultures. The mechanism of their protection is based on the suppression of pathogenic microorganisms before they enter the plant.
The solution (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) should be applied before flowering, treating well the entire above-ground part of the bush with a solution.
Well proven drug "", the active ingredient of which are spores and living cells of the bacterial culture of Bacillus subtilis, inhibiting the activity of phytophthora. 
Prepared solution (1 tablespoon of liquid preparation for 10 l of water) is sprayed with tomatoes every 2 weeks.
The use of folk remedies
If none of the above drugs were on hand, you can resort to one of the folk remedies. For example, in a bucket of water dilute a liter of milk and a teaspoon of iodine, mix thoroughly and immediately begin spraying.
You can use garlic tincture: 200 g of minced garlic is poured with a glass of warm water, infused overnight, then filtered, diluted with 10 liters of water and 1 g of potassium permanganate added.
In the fight against late blight on tomatoes, ash is also used, which dust the rows before watering about a week after planting and at the beginning of fruit set.
Preventive treatment is carried out in dry calm weather in the morning. The disadvantage of such spraying is a short action. After the rains they must be repeated.
How to treat infected blight tomatoes
Treatment phytophthora immediately begin when the first visual signs of the disease. A few days of delay can cost the entire crop.
Consider the sequence of work, when the infection has already penetrated into the plants and made itself felt.
If the lesions are minor, then the main task is to localize them. First of all, leaves and branches are cleaned from the bushes, on which there are symptoms of late blight. They are taken out of the garden or greenhouse and burned. Such plant residues cannot be added to the compost.
The next step is to spray the tomato plantings with systemic preparations, since the contact at this stage can be ineffective.
The most effective in the fight against late blight such systemic fungicides:
- copes with the suppression of infection, even at high risk of its spread, penetrates the tissue within 30 minutes after spraying, provides long-term protection of the plant inside and outside during the period of its active growth and development (including new growth of leaves and stems). It is recommended for use as a preventive measure and under the condition that the disease spreads slightly. The waiting time is 14 days.
- used on tomatoes for the prevention and treatment of the early stages of a wide range of diseases, including phytophthora. The drug is used outdoors in the phase of fruit formation and flowering 3-4 hands with an interval of 14-16 days, in the closed - throughout the growing season with a frequency of 7-10 days. A maximum of two successive spraying is allowed, after which a fungicide with a different mechanism of action is introduced into the protection system.
A unique feature of the drug is its ability to extend the period of fruiting for 2-3 weeks.
Treatments are carried out in the morning or evening in calm weather.
A prerequisite for a comprehensive system of protection of tomatoes is the alternation of different mechanisms of action and composition of drugs.
Active preventive and curative measures help to curb the spread of fungi and significantly reduce crop losses. If on the garden there are still minor symptoms, then you should not despair. The main thing is to always be fully prepared, because the fight against late blight is a rather long process that continues throughout the entire growing season.
16.06.2016
107 277
The fight against blight on tomatoes - the most effective means
The fight against late blight on tomatoes begins at the earliest dates of tomato cultivation. This aggressive fungal disease can lime a large part of the crop if no action is taken. It is necessary to fight immediately, at the appearance of the smallest signs of late blight, otherwise it may be too late.
Causes of blight on tomatoes
Phytophthora is a very common and pernicious fungal disease that destroys not only tomatoes, but also other solanaceous crops (eggplants, potatoes). Most often, the disease manifests itself in cool and wet weather, with heavy precipitation.
But where does this sore come from?
Late blight – it's a fungal disease and it is spread by spores, so the conidia of this fungus are capable of being preserved in the soil, seeds, on the walls of the greenhouse or greenhouse, and also in the garden inventory.
And as soon as there are favorable conditions for its active reproduction (low air temperature and humidity), the disease will begin to develop and progress.
photofluorosis on tomato
In addition to weather conditions, there may be other causes of tomato disease:
tomato disease - late blight
How to spray tomatoes from phytophthora
Before treating your tomatoes, you need to make sure that the plants are really ill with late blight. If this is true, you need to know how to spray tomatoes from phytophtoras. There is not a small number of drugs, folk remedies in the fight against this sore, consider the most effective and effective of them:
- drugs, Bravo, Ditan, as well as Bordeaux mixture and copper oxychloride are very effective in combating sore. But you should not get involved in them, it is best to use fungicides in the initial stages of plant development (from the moment of planting the seedlings until the flowering of the culture);
- spraying garlic infusions are very effective and not dangerous for future harvest. Such sprinkling is desirable to do every ten days from the moment of fruit set. Take 200-300 grams of minced garlic, add manganese (at the tip of the knife), put all this in a bucket and fill it to the top with warm water. Let stand for a day, and then later you can sprinkle tomatoes;
- iodine with milk is very good at fighting tomatoes. In a bucket of water, dilute one liter of milk and add one teaspoon of iodine to it. Mix everything thoroughly - the solution is ready;
- spraying kinks. Usually for this purpose they use tinder birch or real, but other species can be used. It is necessary to take 100 grams of fungus, chop it a little with a knife, pour in a liter of boiling water. After it cools, strain and use;
- ash solution can also deal with this disease. Fill one-quarter bucket with ashes, fill it with warm water. This mixture is infused for three days, after which it is necessary to add a grated soap (about 2-3 tablespoons) to it.
(! ) Before using folk remedies in the fight against late blight, watch this video!
When spraying tomatoes it is necessary to remember that it is desirable to carry them out in the morning when the dew comes down and the sun will not be so hot and burning as there is a possibility of a burn in the plants.
Prevention of phytophthora on tomatoes
In order to prevent the appearance and spread of the disease in your area, you need to take time to prevent the disease on tomatoes. It is recommended to start preventive measures from the moment of transplanting to the ground:
copper wire in the fight against late blight
on the photo - we pierce the base of the stem with a copper wire
- too soily soil can be diluted with peat, make sand;
- following crop rotation perfectly prevents tomato diseases. Sow rye in the place where the tomatoes grew. Do not remove it after germination, when it grows up, dig up everything;
- the observance of tomato planting patterns is recommended. Here the main point is the fact that you should not plant the plants too close;
- watering is best done in the morning, so that during the day the moisture is absorbed into the ground;
- timely, as weak plants are a bait for diseases;
- it is recommended to spray tomatoes with folk remedies as a disease prevention every 10-14 days.
- Prevention of phytophthora on tomatoes will be very effective if perforations are made with copper wire. To do this, it is necessary to pierce through the trunks of tomatoes right through the ground itself, or simply to tie a piece of copper wire to each bush, here who you like best. Copper inhibits the development of fungus.
Do not despair if, after your activities in the fight against blight on tomatoes, not everything went smoothly and there are still affected plants. It is completely impossible to get rid of this sore, but to prevent its spread is within the power of everyone. And remember the most important thing - you need to deal with late blight constantly, and not once a year.
Late blight often affects tomatoes, so it is important for gardeners to know how to protect their crop of tomatoes. Phytophthora (or late blight) is the most common fungal disease of tomatoes and other solanaceous (potatoes, eggplants), which manifests itself most often in cloudy, damp and cool weather. How to protect tomatoes from phytophtoras, how to save diseased bushes, what drugs to use, what folk remedies will help from the disease, how to prevent the appearance of phytophthora in greenhouses and beds? There are a lot of questions! Let's try to deal with this formidable blight and defeat it.
Signs of blight blight
Late blight is a fungal disease, the spores of this fungus overwinter in the ground, mostly spread in potato tubers, in which they survive the winter safely, and wake up with spring plantings. Therefore, the first blight affects the potatoes, and then the spores fly to the tomatoes. A phytophthora begins the appearance of dark brown spots on the leaves, then they transfer to the stems and fruits. First, lower leaves are affected. Spots can be of different shapes and sizes. On the leaves at the beginning of the disease is whitish plaque. Fruits get sick through the stalk. At first they can remain clean, but during storage brown spots also appear on them. This disease can destroy all the planting of tomatoes in a few days.
Conditions for the development of phytophthora
✿ Most often, on tomatoes, phytophthora appears in August, after cold nights and foggy morning mornings. But tomatoes can get sick earlier - in July. Favorable weather for the development of the disease - temperatures below + 15 ° C and high humidity.
✿ Thickened plantings contribute to the appearance of phytophthora. Therefore, the extra leaves need to be cut off to improve the ventilation of the bushes.
✿ Watering the tomatoes on the leaves also helps them get sick. Therefore, in the open ground late blight often appears after rainy cold weather.
✿ Low temperatures are also a reason for preventing tomatoes from phytophthora.
Prevention of late blight of tomatoes
Tomatoes love dry weather. Strong humidity in warm weather, and even faster in cool weather leads to illness. It begins with the lower leaves, where more moisture accumulates. It is necessary to constantly check the lower leaves and if they begin to darken, immediately remove them. The lower leaves are removed to the first ripening brush constantly. Also cut off the yellowing and drying leaves. It is important to create a good airing planting tomatoes.
You can cover the top rows of tomatoes with a film or covering material so that it hangs down the sides, without touching the ground. So airing will remain, and tomatoes will be covered from cold night dews.
Prevention of phytophthora can be called complete mulching of the land under planting tomatoes.
Late blight first affects planting potatoes, so do not plant tomatoes next to it. Just a close relative of tomatoes and potatoes - eggplant, too, can suffer from blight and it is better not to plant it next to it.
In small areas, protection can be created from rocker plants sown around the perimeter of the beds. For example: peas, curly beans, corn.
A good prophylaxis will be spraying plantings and lands with biological preparations phytosporin and trichodermin before the onset of the disease. They inhibit the spread of disease.
It is necessary to strengthen the plants from a young age. To temper. Enough to fertilize and feed (without fanaticism and excesses, of course). Pour the infusion of ash during fruit ripening. So that they are strong and strong, then it will be easier for them to fight diseases. But you should not feed with nitrogen fertilizers (mullein, herbal infusions) in the second half of the summer - it weakens the plants, they will get sick faster.
How to save tomatoes
from phytophthora in the greenhouse
In the greenhouse, tomatoes are well protected from phytophthora. Even if it is cold and damp outside, they have many advantages. In the greenhouse creates its own climate, which can be regulated. Do not forget to air, as well as about prevention.
✿ Do not thicken the landing.
✿ Cut off stepchildren and extra leaves.
✿ Tie up the bushes.
✿ Mulch ground.
Also, to protect the tomatoes in the greenhouse, do not plant potatoes or open-field tomatoes next to them, so that spores from them will not get into the greenhouse.
At the end of June, it is necessary to spray the phytosporin biopreparation in the greenhouse for prevention. Continuously cultivate the land under the tomatoes.
How to save tomatoes
from phytophtora in open ground
Copper - well helps from phytophthora. Copper preparations are used to control and prevent the disease. The drugs used are Hom, Polykh, Oxy and can be diluted directly in cold water in a watering can (as instructed).
You can make the solution yourself. Add a stick of laundry soap and a bag of blue vitriol to a bucket of water. You can also process the bushes infusion of wood ash.
If all folk remedies are tried and do not help, then you have to use chemistry. There are a lot of funds in garden stores. The most workers are fungicides. Spores of the disease also adapt to different chemicals, so they will have to alternate, so that there is a different composition. Use them carefully. Only before the start of fruit ripening. If the tomatoes are already beginning to fill, then the chemistry can not be applied. Poison your crop.
Chemical remedies are not a panacea either. To use them you need to start from a ripe age and repeat the treatment several times. Especially if the summer is rainy and cold.
Phytophthora treatment
on tomatoes in the greenhouse
You should not use drugs with copper, because there is always a ripening crop in the greenhouse. It is better to use folk methods. The same infusions of garlic, onions or milk solution. They are described in folk recipes further in the article.
You can spray the tomatoes with just water and iodine. On a bucket of water take 10 ml of the usual 5% iodine. Before use, remove all yellowed and diseased leaves with dark spots. Spray fully bushes and fruits. After 3 days, repeat the procedure.
Folk ways
struggle with late blight on tomatoes
Popular methods of dealing with late blight on tomatoes are best used for the prevention of the disease. If the phytophtora is already clearly visible on the bushes, then it is more efficient to use chemistry to combat the disease.
Garlic infusion
For the preparation of garlic infusion take 200 grams of garlic (can be replaced with onions) and insist in the water bucket for a day. After filtering, spray the diseased plants and tomatoes. Spraying repeated every 2 weeks.
Milk solution or whey
Milk is diluted in water (100 grams per liter) and sprayed with tomatoes. You can replace milk with kefir. Lactic acid bacteria do not allow phytophthora to develop. You can add a few drops of iodine in the milk water. Such a spraying will not only protect against phytophthora, but also serve as fertilizer for your tomatoes. It is better to repeat the spraying every 2 weeks.
You can spray tomatoes with whey solution (diluted with water 1 to 1) - the effect is the same as from a milky solution. This solution is good to use for the prevention all summer. Without waiting for the appearance of the disease.
Salt solution
Tomato bushes are often sprayed with a solution of simple table salt (one glass per bucket of water). This solution protects tomatoes from various diseases, after drying, it forms a film on the fruit. After the rains it is necessary to repeat the spraying.
