FUSARIUM AND VERTICILLIUM WILT: Two majorwilt diseases of tomatoes are Fusarium and Verticilliumwilt. Fusarium wilt, the most prevalent of the twodiseases, in Kansas generally occurs in midsummerwhen air and soil temperatures are high. Diseasedplants first develop a yellowing of the oldest leaves(those nearing the ground). Often the yellowing is restrictedto one side of the plant or even to leaflets onone side of the petiole. The affected leaves soon wiltand dry up, but they remain attached to the plant. Thewilting continues on successively younger foliage andeventually results in the death of the plant (Figure 1).The stem remains firm and green on the outside, butexhibits a narrow band of brown discoloration in thevascular tissue. This discoloration can be viewed easilyby slicing vertically through the stem near the soilline and looking for a narrow column of browning betweenthe central pith region and the outer portion ofthe stem (Figure 2).Verticillium wilt tends to develop during thecooler periods of late spring. Symptoms of the diseaseare similar to Fusarium wilt. Older leaves are affectedfirst; they turn yellow, wilt and eventually drop fromthe plant. Unlike Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wiltcauses uniform yellowing and wilting of the lowerleaves. As the disease progresses, younger leaves beginto wilt and die, until only a few healthy leaves remainat the top of the plant. Although diseased plantsare not killed, they are stunted and weak and producesmall fruit. Verticillium wilt also causes discolorationof the vascular system almost identical to that in Fusariumwilt except that the browning does not extendquite as far up the stem. Thus, laboratory analysismay be required to distinguished between the twodiseases
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