Fusarium wilt on tomato
A vascular disease (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici) — the fungus enters through the roots and blocks the water-conducting tissue. The plant wilts even though the soil is moist, and a cut stem shows a brown ring.
Symptom photos
Symptoms
- Leaves wilting during the day and partly recovering at night
- Yellowing and dying leaves from the bottom of the plant up
- Wilting often one-sided, taking half the plant
- A brown ring of vascular tissue in a cut stem
- The whole plant dying while the soil is still moist
What it does to the crop
- Plants dying in the middle of cropping
- A drastic drop in yield and small fruit
- The fungus persists in the soil for years
- No way to cure an infected plant
What encourages it
- Soil temperature 25-28°C
- Tomatoes grown after tomatoes in the same spot
- Light, acidic soils low in calcium
- Root damage during planting and hoeing
Prevention
- Grow resistant varieties, marked F or Fol
- Graft onto resistant rootstocks
- Rotate with a 4-year break, or replace the growing medium in the tunnel
- Remove infected plants together with the root ball
- Avoid damaging roots and keep pH at 6.0-6.8
⚠️ 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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