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Old April 16, 2012   #9
lapk78
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: San Antonio, TX Zone 8B
Posts: 118
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dewayne mater View Post
Lyle - It looks like you could have a few things working there. I think the main one you are concerned about it the purple discoloration on the leaves. In your latest set of photos, jpg.005 and .007 look a little like a mold called botrytis. Do you have any stems that are browning? Has it been warm, humid and still? I'm not an expert on disease identification, so I could be way off, but, if that is it, you have to treat it quickly and aggressively. Again, if that is what this is, and you will have to make that judgment call, the protocol is to remove infected leaves carefully without touching any other leaves or plants and bag them, tie off the bag, and throw the bags away (don't burn) and spray with fungicides.

I do think I see a few mites on them too, which is not unusual since they love to attack an already weakened plant. So, insect treatment should probably follow as well. Sorry for whatever it is that is ailing you!

Dewayne mater
Dewayne,

Thanks for the knowledge and advice. I removed some remaining lower branches this morning and saw a tiny little insect on one of the leaves. I photographed it and posted in a new thread called "Are these Thrips? (pics)".

So far, a few TVs have responded saying that it does appear to be a thrip. This paired with the info at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/p...problemsolver/ provided by st3v3 really seems to point to Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus.

When I get home later this evening, I will spray all my plants with neem oil unless anyone has a better suggestion.

I understand that most would suggest that I pull the two sick plants (a German Johnson and a Mortgage Lifter) so as to not spread the illness, but so far my remaining four plants seem to be unaffected. To compound the situation, the German Johnson has two fruit growing on it and one is looking beautiful and pretty big. Maybe the other four plants are stronger or more resistant to TSWV or thrips... idk.

SO FRUSTRATING!!!

-Lyle
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