Tag: Tomato

Stinkbug Damage Found in Maryland Tomato Fields

Emily Zobel on

Stinkbug Damage Found in Maryland Tomato Fields

Jerry Brust, UME

There have been reports of stinkbug damage in tomatoes in Maryland for the last couple of weeks. Stinkbug feeding damage is called cloudy spot in tomato fruit (fig. 1). It occurs when the adult or immature stinkbug puts its needle-like mouth part into the fruit and removes material from a large number of cells. On green fruit the damage appears as whitish areas with a black dot in the center and indistinct borders (fig. 2) on ripe fruit the spots are golden yellow (fig. 1). Individual spots may be 1/16 -1/2 inch in diameter; or the spots may merge and encompass a large area of the fruit surface (fig. 2). Peeling back the skin shows these areas as white shiny, spongy masses of tissue (fig. 3). This damage is usually most common from mid-July until the end of the season.

Stinkbug feeding injury to tomato fruit.
Fig.1) Stinkbug injury to tomato fruit. Photo by G. Brust UMD.

The Green and Brown as well as the Brown Marmorated stinkbugs are often difficult to see and usually go unnoticed as they spend much of the day deep inside tomato plants, any disturbance and the stinkbugs will drop to the ground and move under the plastic, which results in monitoring difficulties. Only a few are necessary to cause the appearance of cloudy spot on many tomato fruit. Although stinkbug damage has been observed in slightly greater than usual amounts in tomato fields this year, observations of stinkbugs have been much less numerous.

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Tomato and Blossom End Rot

Emily Zobel on

By Jerry Brust, IPM Vegetable Specialist, University of Maryland

This is just a reminder with the usual summer weather we have had lately with stretches of very high temperatures and the occasional very heavy down pour we have had over the last few weeks blossom end rot can become a real problem in tomatoes. Sunny days will suck water through a plant quickly and the downpours will disrupt calcium movement through the plant. The key is to try and maintain consistent soil moisture while the fruit is developing. Easier said than done I know, but soil moisture levels need to be monitored as best as they can. When you see something like figure 1, with all the tomatoes on a cluster with blossom end rot you know the soil moisture fluctuated greatly over a fairly long period of time. Applying some foliar calcium sprays may help, but the applications can’t overcome poor soil moisture management.

Cluster of green tomatoes with blossom end rot ( browning at the base).
Fig. 1 All the tomatoes on this one cluster have blossom end rot—indicating poor soil moisture management. Photo By J. Brust. 

Tomato Pith Necrosis in Maryland

Emily Zobel on

Tomato Pith Necrosis in Maryland

By Jerry Brust, UME

In the last week a few tomato fields in Maryland were found with the same disease called tomato pith necrosis. Just about all the problem tomatoes were from early planted fields. Tomato pith necrosis is caused by the soilborne bacterium Pseudomonas corrugata. Although in the past this disease occurred sporadically in Maryland, over the last few years it is appearing more frequently. Tomato pith necrosis usually is found in early planted tomatoes when night tempera­tures are cool, but the humidity is high, and often plants are growing too rapidly because of excessive nitrogen application. We have had a spring/early summer with some cool nights and high humidity.

Fig. 1. Beginning of pith necrosis- leaves anywhere on plant can turn yellow. Photo by G.Brust, UMD

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Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus in Tomatoes

Emily Zobel on

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus in Tomatoes

By Jerry Brust, UME

A few high tunnels and even a couple of tomato fields have been found with tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in Maryland. The high tunnel finds were not too surprising

but the fields were, as we usually do not see field infections until much later into the season. TSWV has also been found in greenhouse and field production of cut flowers. So it appears this virus is more common this year than it usually is, most probably due to greater thrips populations being present in our greenhouse production areas.

Fig. 1 Tomato leaves with TSWV symptoms

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