It is a major disease of tobacco, tomato, potato, dahlia, geranium, hollyhock, hydrangea, marigold, nasturtium, zinnia and others.
Bacterial wilt is the most frequent disease problem of marigolds in North Carolina landscapes.
The upper foliage may wilt slightly in the early stages of the disease but the plant rapidly wilts completely. Diseased plants often die within 7-14 days after the first symptoms are observed. Control Southern bacterial wilt is a difficult disease to control. There are no chemicals that provide effective control before or after planting. The only control is to avoid susceptible plants or to grow resistant cultivars.