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BATON ROUGE — Following the cold temperatures that hit Louisiana tomatoes hard, it is time to watch for diseases that can adversely affect production, said LSU AgCenter plant doctor Raj Singh.
“These include diseases caused by both foliar and soil-borne plant pathogens,” Singh said. “One of the most important and common fungal foliar diseases is called early blight.”
High humidity, free water on the foliage and poor air circulation due to overcrowding of plants favor this disease.
Early blight produces large brown necrotic spots with concentric rings, he said. Severely affected leaves turn yellow and result in significant yield loss.
“Southern bacterial wilt is the most devastating disease of tomatoes,” Singh said. “It is caused by the soil-borne bacterium that enter the roots through wounds.”
Wet soils and high temperatures favor disease development, and disease severity often is higher in soils infested with root-knot nematodes. Infected plants initially go limp but recover overnight.
“As the disease progresses, plants rapidly wilt and die. Dark brown sunken, lesions may be observed on the bases of infected tomato plants,” he said.
Another disease prevalent during spring is white mold, which is caused by a soil-borne fungal pathogen.
The disease is favored by extended periods of cool, wet weather. Infected plants wilt rapidly, collapse and die.
As the disease develops, infected green tissue bleaches out and becomes off-white. The disease is characterized by the presence of white, cottony, fungal strands with hard, black, irregular structures, known as sclerotia, which are found at the infection site.
Buckeye rot of tomatoes is caused by a soil-borne fungal-like microorganism. During rain or sprinkler irrigation, water splashes the pathogen onto the low fruit, and the infection starts.
Later on, the green fruit starts to rot, and lesions that look like buckeyes appear on the fruit. Fruits closer to ground are the first to be infected.
Early and accurate identification of any pathogen plays a critical role in effective management of these diseases.
Commercial growers and home gardeners must adopt integrated disease management strategies to combat these diseases, Singh said.
Good management practices, including growing healthy seedlings or buying disease-free transplants, choosing sites with well-drained, fertile soils, planting at proper spacing for improved air circulation, minimizing extended periods of leaf wetness, providing proper nutrition during the growing season, and judiciously using chemicals listed for commercial or home tomato production.

HAMMOND — The LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station will hold a Master Gardener Appreciation Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 10.
This annual event is designed as a thank you to statewide Master Gardeners for their support to the AgCenter horticulture programs. Sara Shield, AgCenter Master Gardener program coordinator, together with Hammond Research Station staff, have planned activities for this year’s event.
The event will feature guided and self-guided tours to show what’s new in the trial gardens. Attendees will be given small flags to mark their favorite plants. Louisi-ana Super Plants will also be featured.
Three contests, “What is Wrong with This Plant?” “Name That Weed,” and a “Botany Challenge” will test the knowledge of participants.
The program will feature two presentations. Gene Blythe from Mississippi State University will speak on All-America Selection plants, and Allen Owings, AgCenter professor emeritus, will talk about new and adaptive ornamental plants.
The event also will provide plenty of opportunities to visit AgCenter specialists with expertise in vegetables and fruits, diseases, weeds and insect pest management.
All Master Gardeners are welcome to attend. Registration is free online at http://bit.ly/2Hve6Iw and lunch will be provided.

Heart of Hospice will host its annual Celebration of Life and Butterfly Release Ceremony at 2 p.m. Sunday at Patterson Civic Center’s Banquet Room, at 116 Cotten Road.
Heart of Hospice would like to invite anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one to join in this celebration of hope and life.
This event will be a day of remembrance for loved ones who have touched our lives. There will be a reading of names of those being remembered and a release of butterflies to symbolize the passage of life. This will be accompanied by heartfelt music, crafts for young guests, and refreshments.
The ceremony is free and open to everyone in the community who has experienced loss and would like to honor that loss.
To reserve a butterfly and have the name of your loved one honored during the ceremony, please contact the Heart of Hospice office at 337-828-2678. The cost is $15 per butterfly. Purchases can also be made on the day of the ceremony at the event.