A tomato punctured by a stink bug often ends up deformed with a white spot on the outside and a hard inner core. The only treatment for stink bugs is to spray with Thiodan. Disease poses another threat to tomatoes' health. Dr. Frank Killebrew, Extension vegetable disease specialist, said gardeners across the state are fighting tomato spotted wilt. Infected plants set few fruit, and those that appear often have yellow blotches on the surface and are not fit for consumption.
Spotted wilt is a virus spread by thrips.
These insects pick up the virus while feeding on weeds before moving to the more appetizing tomatoes. The disease appears 14 to 21 days after infection. Tomatoes with this disease cannot be salvaged and should be removed and a new plant set, Killebrew said. The best prevention is to plant the tomatoes in a silvered mulch. The light reflecting off this repels some of the disease-spreading thrips, Killebrew said.