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ozmantis

Anyone seen this before

ozmantis
18 years ago

Hi folks.

I have quite a few tomatoes in the greenhouse looking like the one below. I am guessing that it is whitefly related but am not sure. Any ideas??

{{gwi:1301754}}

Comments (5)

  • suze9
    18 years ago

    Mantis--
    Whiteflies damage foliage, but not fruit. It looks to me like some sort of bacterial canker or speck, or maybe even pox.

    Are you seeing any signs of disease on the foliage? If so, what does it look like?

  • ozmantis
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks for the reply Sue. Its happening on a couple of different varieties in the greenhouse. On some the specking is on the surface only, but on some like the one above there are pock marks in the tomatoes.
    The leaves of the tomato above show early blight like symtems, but with puckering of the leaves as well. Others with the spots on the surface of the fruit do not show any excess leaf yellowing, or puckering.
    I have never seen this before, but it has started on one plant in the corner of the greenhouse and spread to a couple of fruit on a plant next to it. Then it appeared on fruit on other plants. Weird.

  • suze9
    18 years ago

    Hi again, M. The more I look at your pic, the more I'm inclined to think it's pox. For one, I've had this particular problem in my garden before and it looked much like your pic. For another, what you're describing on the foliage (looks like early blight, on some plants, but not others, etc.) doesn't tend to point towards bacterial spot or speck -- or for that matter Alternaria Canker (which is fungal in origin).

    However -- I would suggest you take a look at the leaf/foliage pictures on the tomato problem solver before reaching a final determination. In particular, go through the first set as that's where pics of EB, bacterial problems, and Alternaria reside.

    And also -- first set of pics for unripe fruit http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/tomatoproblemsolver/greenfruit/greenfruit1.html
    **************************

    But back to the pox:

    Pox and Fleck

    In most cases when a fruit is affected both disorders are found together but are considered separate problems (Figure 18). Pox is described as small cuticular disruptions found at random on the fruit surface (Figure 19). The number can vary from a few to many. Fleck, also known as Gold Fleck, develops as small irregular shaped green spots at random on the surface of immature fruit which become a gold in color as fruit ripens (Figures 20 and 21). Number of spots can vary from few to many. Fruits severely affected with pox and fleck are not marketable. Both conditions seem to be genetic in nature, but are difficult to breed out of a variety since the disorders only show up under certain environmental conditions. There seems to be some differences of opinion as to the conditions inducing this problem. There are differences between varieties as to susceptibility to pox and fleck.

    In particular, you'll want to have a look at Figure 18.

    Basically, if it's pox, not much you can do about it. Im my case it has been caused by growing in extremely hot conditions as it stresses the fruit. I will say that the lesions don't turn necrotic or affect the taste of the fruit in any way.

    And of course, if early blight is what you're seeing on the leaves, just treat for it as you normally would (or wouldn't).

  • suze9
    18 years ago

    I will say that the lesions don't turn necrotic or affect the taste of the fruit in any way.

    Small comfort, I know. As C. would say, *sigh*.

  • ozmantis
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks Suze
    I think you have nailed the problem. Its happening on varieties that I have not grown before.
    Sigh Sigh

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