The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1916-07-29
TOMATO WILT A SERIOUS
DISEASE,
Widely Scattered Over Louisiana
How II May Be Identified
Methods Of Control.

Inc appearance during the last lew
years of several tomato diseases In
Louisiana, resulting in considerable
loss, has caused much uneasiness
among tomato growers. Formerly
when tomatoes were grown only on
small scale, either for local cOnsump-
ton or for small shipments to the
North, there was not much chance for
the spread of diseases. But, of late
years, conditions have been much bet |
ter for the development and spread OF
the diseases, on account of the larger |
and more numerous fields. An increase
in the acreage of crop is quite often
accompanied by outbreaks of disease
or infestations by pests that had not
been noticed before.
The Tomato Wit.
The tomato wilt, the most serious
of the tomato diseases is widely
scattered over the state. 1t absolute
ly prevents the growing of ordinary
tomato varieties in some fields in some
sections and cuts down the yield ma
terially in many of them. The disease
is produced by fungus which lives
over from year to year In the soil. ana,
after a field is once badly infected, it
is difficult to grow tomatoes there for
a number of years. The plant affected
by the wiki disease has a more or less
stuntea and sickly appearance. The
leaves turn yellow and fall off, and,
finally, the whole plant dies. Usually
Few fruits develop on the plants, but
i they do not grow very large or ripen
| normally.
If plant affected with the wilt dis
ease 10 pulled up and the stem cut
across with knife. the interior of the
stem will be seen to be dark colored,
or else there will be black areas ia 1t.
These extend from the roots up to the
leaves and sometimes even out into
the petioles. The presence of these
dark colored areas is evidence OF the
presence of the wilt disease. It Is pri-
marily a 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 I'M
able to function as they should.
The Control of the Disease.
Tomatoes should not be grown In
the same ground for more than one
year in three II the tomato wilt dis
ease is present In the ground, it viii
increase in severity rapidly from yea
to year if the field is kept in toma
toes. However, II tomatoes are plant
ed only every third year, much of thu
disease will die out during the two In
tervening years.
Transplanting from seed beds tina
have become infected is a very com
mon method of spreading the wilt dis
ease. In many cases truckers us
their seed beds or cold frames year al
ter year without changing the soil, o
at least all of it. Or they may b
filed with infected dirt. Care shoult
be exercised to keep the seed beds an
cold frames free of infection.
The growing of wilt-resistant varis
ties or strains of tomatoes is perhap
the most satisfactory way of control
Ing this disease. Tomato plants evel
In the same field 40 not show all TIL
same susceptibility to the wilt, and b
saving seed from fruits on health
plants a wilt-resistant variety may
evolved This method has been SUI
cessfully practiced at the LOuisian
Experiment Station.