Looks like Chlorosis (leaves losing ability to produce Chlorophyll). Excessive rain and/or watering can cause it.

Use liquid Ironite or other Iron/sulfur supplement to solve the problem.

In addition to that recommendation you can spray the plant with a 25% skim milk solution 2X the first week and once a week for until the plants are healthy.

3 parts water + 1 part skim milk will give your plants some much needed nutrients straight to the leaves + kill mildew. I mix my skim milk from inexpensive powder,

It saved my plants last year.

Dean

Thank you so much for your reply Dean. I will try it immediantly.
Peggy

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatoes 2006

Peggy, I see no leasions on the leaves at all which would indicate a foliage infection such as Early Blight ( A. solani) or Septoria Leaf Spot or otherwise.

What I do see, and the pale foliage goes along with it, most closely resembles Fusarium.

Please read about it via Google and look at some pictures via using the IMAGES at Google and see what you think.

Systemic infections such as Fusarium are soilborne, not insect spread.

have you had anything like this before?

Did you raise these plants from seed yourself or purchase them?

Carolyn

Carolyn,
No, I haven't had anything like this before. I raised the plants from seed using sterilized seed trays and Miracle Grow potting soil. I did buy the seed, they werent seeds I saved myself.
I did the Google search and I am afraid you might be right, which breaks my heart. Will I be able to grow tomatoes in these beds next year if I use resistant varities or is it too late for a few years? Would starting a preventive spraying routine immediately at planting help? Would solarizing the beds kill it?
I think I may have more than one problem going on after observing the past few days. I'm posting 2 pics for you that I took just a few minutes ago. I think that for most of the plants it is Fusarium...but I think I may be dealing with something else in addition to with the Brandywine Reds...what do you think?
Can I just keep trying to keep these plants going by pruning leaves and spraying Daconil, harvesting what I can or would it be best to pull them?

Thank you so much for your advice,
Peggy (whose heart is broken over her tomatoes)

PS..I love your book and hope to try growing most of the varieties eventually.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatoes 7/18/06

Fusarium is taken up from the soil into the roots, so no spray can prevent it. Pruning leaves is a purely cosmetic measure, too, since it doesn't stop the spread.

The tomato varieties that are sold with an "F" tolerance (such as VFNT) are still susceptible to fusarium, but may hold up a bit longer. If you want them to last a few more weeks so that you can get some tomatoes harvested -- maybe serial-planting over a period of several weeks -- it might let you have tomatoes for more of the season. Some plants might even pull out of the infection. But the soil is contaminated and will be for at least a decade.

Pull them as they succumb, and otherwise treat them very nicely, with as much water as they need and adequate food to keep them growing. As I said, some plants can pull out of it, if they're lucky.

You could try raising pots off the ground and growing with sterilized soil or commercial mix, which is what some people do. Sorry to hear about the garden soil, though. :/

--Alison

Is there a soil or other kind of test that can be done to positively determine if it is fusarium or if it is something else?? If I can salvage these raised beds it would be wonderful as I have been working on them for 7 years now...building soil, adding 6x6's(untreated) around edges for support as i can afford them and putting in drip irrigation etc.
Peggy

"Is there a soil or other kind of test that can be done to positively determine if it is fusarium or if it is something else??"

Yes, you could have submitted plant and your pictures to the Plant Diagnostic Lab at Clemson for $10 and know for sure what you are dealing with.

(Click on Plant Problem Clinic link)

Here is a link that might be useful: Clemson Agricultural Lab

"All but one of my tomato plants(9 total)seem to have been stricken. ... I water sparingly and used a time release fertilizer when I planted."

It wouldn't hurt to apply Miracle Grow 15-30-15, 2 tbs in 2 gal water, to one plant to see what happens. Under some nutient, especially N, deficencies, older leaves undergo early senescence so that the nutrients in those leaves can be recycled to new growth.

Do you have sandy soil?