Verticillium wilt on eggplant
A vascular disease caused by the fungi Verticillium dahliae and V. albo-atrum. The fungus enters through the roots and blocks the water-conducting tissue, so the plant wilts even in moist soil. Eggplant is among the most susceptible vegetables.
Symptoms
- Leaves wilting around midday and recovering at night
- Yellowing and dying leaves from the bottom of the plant up
- One-sided wilting, taking half the plant
- Brown discoloration of the vascular tissue in a cut stem
- Dwarfing and plants dying early
What it does to the crop
- A drastic drop in yield and small fruit
- Plants dying off completely before picking is finished
- The fungus staying in the soil for many years
- No way to cure an infected plant
What encourages it
- Soil temperature 20-25°C
- Grown after other nightshades in the same spot
- Cold, wet soil early on and stressed plants
- Root damage during planting and hoeing
Prevention
- Rotate with a 4-year break for nightshades
- Grow on resistant rootstocks or use tolerant varieties
- Solarise or replace the growing medium in the tunnel
- Remove and burn infected plants with the root ball
- Avoid cold flood-watering and root damage
⚠️ 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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