My tomato plants have brown to black spots with light and dark rings inside them, like a target, starting on the older lower leaves and slowly moving up. The leaves around the spots turn yellow and drop. Weather has been warm with some rain. What disease is this?
The target like spots with concentric rings, starting on the lower older leaves and moving upward with yellowing around them, are typical of early blight caused by Alternaria. It thrives in warm humid weather and spreads from infected lower leaves and crop debris. Remove and destroy the worst lower leaves to reduce the source, mulch to stop soil splash onto leaves, and avoid overhead watering late in the day so leaves dry fast. Spray a protectant fungicide such as mancozeb or chlorothalonil at the first spots, and switch to a systemic like azoxystrobin or a difenoconazole if it is advancing, rotating groups to avoid resistance. Keep the crop well fed and not water stressed since weak plants are hit harder. As tomatoes are eaten fresh, follow the label dose and waiting period before harvest, and confirm the diagnosis with your KVK as it can be confused with late blight in cool wet spells.
Mulching made a real difference for me. Before mulch the splash from rain carried it onto the lower leaves fast.
I remove the bottom skirt of leaves once plants are established. Better airflow and less disease starting from the ground.
Get free daily mandi prices, MSP changes, scheme cut-offs and weather alerts - and your own Kisan ID.
Today's rates, MSP moves, scheme deadlines and weather - the moment they matter.
Join Bharat Annadata Sangh free - get a digital farmer ID card and free answers from our Krishi Team.
100% free · No spam · Prices from Agmarknet · Unsubscribe anytime
