🍅 Tomato How hard it is to control: ★★★★★ 5/5

Bacterial canker of tomato

Vascular disease leading to wilting and plant die-back. Greatest losses in greenhouse crops. Pathogen develops fastest at 25-28°C.

Symptom photos

Bacterial canker of tomato — Fruit — small spots with a pale halo, known as bird's-eye spots — Fruit — small spots with a pale halo, known as bird's-eye spots Photo: Mary Ann Hansen, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bugwood.org, licence CC BY 3.0 us

Bacterial canker of tomato — Ripe fruit — bird's-eye spots with a pale halo — Ripe fruit — bird's-eye spots with a pale halo Photo: Goldlocki, licence CC BY-SA 3.0

Bacterial canker of tomato — Green fruit — white spots with a dark centre — Green fruit — white spots with a dark centre Photo: Scot Nelson, licence CC0

Symptoms

Wilting intensifying at high temperatures
Curling and drying of leaves
One-sided wilting of leaflets
Yellow-brown necrosis along leaf edges
White spots on leaves
Easy separation of bark from axial cylinder

What it does to the crop

Wilting and die-back of entire plants
Fruit marbling
Browning of vascular bundles
Complete yield loss with severe infection

What encourages it

Infected seeds
Plant debris in soil
Non-disinfected strings and supports
Care procedures
Temperature 25-28°C
High air humidity

Prevention

Healthy, high-quality seed material
Peat substrates free from pathogens
Disinfection of greenhouse, strings, pots
Removal of young shoots without using a knife
Maintaining low air humidity
Cessation of tomato cultivation for min. 2 years

⚠️ Before you reach for a spray

This atlas is informational and still growing — different diseases can look almost identical. Confirm the diagnosis and read the product label before applying any plant protection product. If you are unsure, ask your local extension or advisory service.

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