Advice on tomato problem.

[Chomper Higgot]

I’m looking for some advice on a tomato problem.

 

I normally grow three varieties of tomato, two that I’m familiar with and have had past success and a third which is an experimental planting of a variety I haven’t grown before.

 

This year I am trialing cherry tomatoes (sweet girl) , a local cultivar grown from fresh in date seeds.

 

These ‘cherry tomato’ seeds germinated well and the young plants grew strong and healthy for the first month, in well fertilized open beds.

 

I’ve not applied any insecticides or fertilizers since planted.

The problems started a week ago as one by one these ‘cherry tomato’ plants have started to whither and die.

 

Despite being well watered the leaves are wilting as if dehydrated and the whole plant dies inside two days.

 

I’ve been removing and inspecting the dying plants, I can’t see any signs of infestation or fungus.

 

They just appear to be dehydrated.

 

I’ve shaded half the bed to see if the problem is too much strong sunlight, but plants in and out of the shade have suffered this problem.

 

Tomatoes of another variety in the adjacent bed are all strong and healthy.

 

See photos below.

 

Does anyone have any clues what might be the problem.

Edited December 1, 2022 by Chomper Higgot

[farmerjo]

Which area of Thailand.

Nematodes could be a cause.

[Phnom Penh Trader]

You don’t have to pretend they’re tomatoes anymore it’s legal now in Thailand?

[cooked]

Looks like fusarium wilt, soil borne.

[Chomper Higgot]

On 12/2/2022 at 12:46 AM, cooked said:

Looks like fusarium wilt, soil borne.

I think this is it.

 

I’ve pulled the cherry tomato plants out and will plant a different crop.

 

I’m also going to trial the cherry to

 in sterilized soil/compost.

 

I’ve made a sterilizer out of two steel drums, one with a few inches of water in it  sits on a fire, the other is perforated to allow steam to pass and I’ve put a soul and compost mix I there.

Worth a try I think.

[drtreelove]

18 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I think this is it.

 

I’ve pulled the cherry tomato plants out and will plant a different crop.

 

I’m also going to trial the cherry to

 in sterilized soil/compost.

 

I’ve made a sterilizer out of two steel drums, one with a few inches of water in it  sits on a fire, the other is perforated to allow steam to pass and I’ve put a soul and compost mix I there.

Worth a try I think.

Most of the microorganisms in the soil are beneficial, and in fact work to suppress the pathogens (harmful root-rot microbes). Sterilizing the soil will kill off the beneficials and set you up for an ongoing plague of root rot, plant losses and chemcial dependency. 

During a transition period while you are building the beneficial soil biology to optimum levels, you can drench with a biological fungicide for suppression of plant pathogens. 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, drtreelove said:

Most of the microorganisms in the soil are beneficial, and in fact work to suppress the pathogens (harmful root-rot microbes). Sterilizing the soil will kill off the beneficials and set you up for an ongoing plague of root rot, plant losses and chemcial dependency. 

During a transition period while you are building the beneficial soil biology to optimum levels, you can drench with a biological fungicide for suppression of plant pathogens. 

Excellent information.

 

I’ll look into this.

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to post.

 

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by Chomper Higgot

[cooked]

2 hours ago, drtreelove said:

Most of the microorganisms in the soil are beneficial, and in fact work to suppress the pathogens (harmful root-rot microbes). Sterilizing the soil will kill off the beneficials and set you up for an ongoing plague of root rot, plant losses and chemcial dependency. 

During a transition period while you are building the beneficial soil biology to optimum levels, you can drench with a biological fungicide for suppression of plant pathogens. 

 

 

.. which is why most stupid professional tomato growers frequently sterilise their soil. Nobody can grow members of the nightshade (tomato, tobacco, peppers etc) around here. I dare you to say that this is due to poor soil management as you usually do. A few kilometers further on I have even seen wild tomatoes growing in the hedgerows. Fusarium is almost impossible to eradicate once it is in the soil, also it is transmitted by insects. and recommending stuff only available in the US won't help anyway.

I grow my tomatoes in pots, using unsterilised (no need for that I think) compost, and get a decent crop though I am still experimenting with different varieties. 

I base my knowledge on many years of experience not on Google.

Maybe I'm having a bad day...