Tomato plants with signs of disease

Tomato crops are susceptible to various diseases, with bacterial leaf spot being 1 of the most common. Promoting natural plant defense and proactively implementing disease prevention measures are key to a successful harvest.

According to North Carolina State Extension, if a field becomes infected with bacterial leaf spot, it can be difficult to stop the disease from spreading, especially in warm, wet conditions. It’s important to take preventive management steps to promote the plants natural defense and reduce yield loss potential caused by bacterial leaf spot.

• Use Pathogen-Free Seeds: To protect your tomatoes against bacterial leaf spot, only use pathogen-free certified seeds or transplants.
• Practice Good Sanitation: Remove infected plant materials promptly and avoid handling plants when they are wet.
• Rotate Crops: Avoid planting tomatoes in the same location year after year, especially if the field had bacterial spot previously.
• Eliminate Solanaceous Weeds: Solanaceous weeds can carry the pathogen responsible for bacterial spot, so it’s important to remove any weeds in and around production areas.
• Follow a Regular Spray Schedule: If bacterial leaf spot is a recurring problem, consider a regular preventive spray schedule to activate the plants’ natural defense.

Applying a preventive fungicide offers the most effective control against disease. Actigard^® 50WG is a fungicide option promoting natural plant defense to prevent disease. By stimulating tomato crops’ natural defense systems, Actigard 50WG enables plants to protect themselves against bacterial spot and other diseases, reducing the need for additional copper applications.

Actigard 50WG promotes plant health all season long. Source: USVJ0F0632020

Actigard 50WG boosts plant health and increases tomato yield potential. Source: USVJ0F0632020

For more insight into tomato disease prevention, contact your Syngenta representative.

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