New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1916-09-09
TOMATO WILT A SERIOUS
DISEASE.
"'oeV scattered Over Louisiana
row Vt May Be Identified
Methods of Control.

Inc appearance during tho laet Pow,
| years of several to,nato dise,eor ~
,o"is'a"a' resulting in considerable
loss, has caused much uneasinesa
among tomato growers Formerly
"heh tomatoes We're grown only on a
small scale, either for local consumn.
'loh or for small shipments TO ,ua
Nor,h' mere was not much chance for
the spread of diseases But. of late
years, conditions have been m,,cl, hot.
ter for the development and spread Of
the diseases on account of th, I,,r,r
a"' more numerous fields An increase
N me acreage of crop is quite often
accompanied by outbreaks of dise,sa
or tnfestations by pests that had NOT
been noticed before
The Tomato Wilt.
The tomato wilt. the most rcr,or.
" 'he tomato diseases is widely
scattered over the state. II absolute.
~ prevents the growing of ordinary
tomato varieties in some fields I'm soma
sections and cuts down the weld ma
terlally in many OF them The disease
is produced by fungus which lives
over from year to year in the soil ann
after field is once badly infecte II
IL dltfcult to grow tomatoes there for
a number of years. The plant affected
by the wilt disease has more or less
stunteu and sickly appearance. The
leaves turn yellow and fall OFF. and.
finally. the whole plant dies. trsuaJ,v
Few fruits develop on the plants. hut
they do not grow very large or ripen
normally.
II plant affected with the wilt dis |
ease Is pulled up and the stem cut
across with a knife. the interior of tina
stem VIII be seen to be dark colored.
or else there will be black areas in IL
These extend from the roots IN to tho
leaves and sometimes even out into
the petioles. The presence of these
dark colored areas is evidence or tho
presence of the wilt disease It Is pri-
marily root and stem disease and
all OF the damage is done in these
parts. The leaves show the effects Of
the disease only after the roots and
stems are badly diseased and are un.
able to function as they should.
The Control Of the Disease.
Tomatoes should not be grown In
he same ground for more than one
1ear in three. If the tomato wilt dis
'ase Is present in the ground. 1t will
Increase in severity rapidly from year
o year If the field is kept in toma-
pes. However. IL tomatoes are plant
ID only every third year. much of the
disease will die out during the two in.
ervening years.
Transplanting from seed beds that
ave become infected is a very com.
non method of spreading the wilt dis,
ase. In many cases truckers use
heir seed beds or cold frames year af.
er year without changing the soil, or
I least all Of 1t. Or they may ba
lied with infected dirt. Care should
g exercised to keep the seed beds and
old frames free Of infection.
the growing Of wilt-resistant varie-
es or strains Of tomatoes is perhaps
he most satisfactory way Of controll.
g this disease. Tomato plants even
the same field 40 not show all the
'me susceptibility to the wilt, and by
wing seed from fruits on healthy
ants q wilt-resistant variety may be
vOlved This method has been sue.
sssfully practiced at the Louisiana -
experiment. Station.