Tomatoes

Cornear worm (aka: Tomato Fruitworm)

#1 INSECT PEST OF TOMATOES -Feed directly on Tomato -Control: -->Bt: affects stomach, worms have low pH so toxins will kill it.

Fresh Market

-determinate (get to a certain point, then stop growing) -interdeterminate (keep growing)

Cutworms

-Active only at night -lodging (cause) -Control: -->Remove grass and weeds -->Tin can method

Cornear Worm

-Aka: Tomato Fruitworm #1 insect pest of tomatoes -Feeds directly on tomato Control: -BT (Bacillus Thurengensis) -->Soil bacteria becaue worms have HIGH pH level and hamans don't so that's what wears away their layers (inner and outer)

Planting (transplant) dates

-Central Alabama: April 15 --> 60-90 days from transplant to mature fruit

Aphids

-Control: -->Wait for "crash," spray off with WATER, use insecticidal oil (sunspray) or insecticides -->Insecticidal soap

Late Blight

-Cool Nights: (50-60F) -Fall tomatoes -Control: --> Coversprays

Catfacing

-Cool weather at blossom time and causes the fruit to pucker and have deep crevices

Beet Armyworm

-Killing Cotesia wasp: induces them -Foilage feeders, mainly

Storage

-Mature Green: --> 55-70F; 1-3 weeks (Ethylene) -Pink: -->50-60F, 5-10 days -Ripe: -->50F; 4-7 days *Never put tomatoes in refrigerator= too cold!

Stinkbugs

-Mid-summer/fall pest; only when hot -Damage: -->Sunken areas on shoulders -Control: -->Sprays -->Natural Pyrethrums

Basics for Tomatoes (History)

-Native of tropical region of SOUTH AMERICA -first domesticated in MEXICO -Cortez took seed to EUROPE in 1915 -->Grown for Beauty of fruit except in Spain and Italy -Thought it was a poison -Introduced back to U.S. from Europe in 18th century after it gained popularity in cooking came to US. -George Washington Carver : recommended it for poor in Ala. because diets were low in vitamins

Control of Stinkbugs: Chrysanthemum flowers

-Natural pyrethrums -->grow flowrs in Sout Africa -->Separate oil out of flowers and mix with... -->Organic -->Works with green stinkbugs NOT brown ones -->Nerve poison -->Don't last long in the insect; sting them most of the time

Spider Mites

-Not an insect -Like dirty plants -Look for bronzing of leaves (they cause this) -->On the underside of leaves -love hot, dry weather -Avoid Sevin Dust --> can FLARE them!! -->Flare= kills the benneficial mites (preditorial mites) Control: -->Miticides (make suse you put on bottom sides of leaves. If not, you won't kill them.

Tomato Hornworm

-Only feed on plant, not fruit Control: -->pick off -->Bt (dust or spray) -Can be used as good fish bait.

Thrips

-Small, Stunted, purple plant Control: -->Resistance varieties -->Mulch -->Heavy sprays early

Grape

-Sweet -Smaller than cherry and oblonged

Early Blight

-The MOST common disease of tomatoes! -Favorable Conditions: -->rainy, humid weather above 75F -Infects: --> expand beyond 1/4" in sectioning; rotate with yellow halo. -Spray with Rain Splashea -Control Cover Sprays: protect fungicide

Basics for Tomatoes (Today)

-US #1 in fresh market tomatoes -Tomato Fruit is a "fleshy berry" (lawsuit) -->made it to supreme court to decide if it's a vegetable or a fruit. They ruled: it is both *(Botanically, it's a fleshy berry)*

Grow your own

-Use transplants -Depth 1/4 inch -Optimum Germination Temperature= 85F

Growing Tomato: Warm-Season

-Very sensitive to cold 1. Daytime=77-86 (halts at 95) 2. Night= 60-68 -->Cold damage <50 (may kill plants) -->Pollination 1. Night >72 (more critical - optimum range 59-68) -->Flower drop associated with temperature

Favorable Conditioins

-Wet, windy weather with realatively high temperatures of about 80-89F.

Southern Blight

-White mold 1. Preventative: soil drench

Pathogen Spread

-Wind-driven rain into tomatoes of foliage or wounds or insect punctures or fruit. -It can also be spread mechanically

Cutworms

-active only at night -control: -->remove grass and weeds -->Tin-Can method

Tomatillo

-close relative to the "husk tomato" -used mainly for sauces --> have husk around it like corn

Fruit Development : Tomatoes

-from anthesis (fertilization) -35 to 60 days from fertilization until mature. -From the time you transplant a tomato, it takes 60-90 days (about 72 is normal) -Breaker Stage : _<10% showing tannish-yellow, pink or red on surface. (pink on blossom end) Start Changing colors from bottom of tomato

Roma

-good for cooking -size of egg

Well drained soil

-pH 5.8-6.5 -Don't tolerate wet-feet -Need to rotate every 2-3 years

Pest Management: Diseases

1. Bacterial Leaf Spot 2. Pahogen Spread 3. Favorable conditions 4. Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus 5. Early Blight 6. Late Blight 7. Southern Blight 8. Root Rots

Tomato Insects

1. Cutworms 2. Thrips 3. Cornear Worm (AKA: Tomato Fruitworm) 4. Stinkbugs 5. Leaffooted Bugs (similar to stinkbugs) 6. Spider Mites 7. Aphids 8. Tomato Hornworm 9. Beet Armyworm

Pest Management : Tomato Insects

1. Cutworms 2. Thrips 3. Corn Earworm (aka: Tomato Fruitworm) 4. Stinkbugs 5. Leaffooted Bugs 6. Spider Mites 7. Aphids 8. Tomato Hornworm 9. Beet Armyworm

Types of Tomatoes

1. Fresh Market 2. Cherry 3. Grape 4. Roma 5. Tomatillo

Physiological Problems

1. Fruit Cracking 2. Puffiness 3. Catfacing

Tomato Nutrition

1. Lycopene: --> red pigment; antioxidant (fighting cancer) 2. Vitamin A: 3. Ascorbic Acid --> Vitamin C 4. Potassium K

Tomato Harvest

1. Mature Green -->For fried green tomatoes (shipping) -->Cut crosswise and if knife doesn't cut any seeds= mature 2. Vine Ripe

Fruit Cracking

1. Radical: -->Most common; on ripening fruit -->Often during rainy periods when temps are high; rains follow a long, dry period 2. Concentric:

Leaffooted Bugs

Control: -->Sprays

Tomato Hornworm

Control: -Pick off -BT: (Dust or spray)

Thrips

Control: -Resistant varieties -mulch -Heavy sprays early

Alphids

Control: -Wait for "crash," spray off with water hose; use insecticidal oil (sunspray) or insecticides -Insecticidal soap

Beet Armyworm

Killing cotesia wasp-->induces them!

Spider Mites

Love Hot Dry Weather -likes dirty plants -bronzing of leaves -avoid seven dust: can flare them control: -Miticides

Stinkbugs

Mid-Summer/ Fall pest; only when WARM Damage: -sunken-areas on shoulders Control: -Sprays -->Natural Pyrethrums=chrysanthemum (flower) *South Africa plant, grind them and separate the OIL. Will help with green stinkbug NOT brown

Tilage

Need good clean seed bed

Leaffooted Bugs

Similar to Stinkbugs control: -Sprays

Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus

Symptoms: -Bronze discoloration of young leaves -Plants may be stunted -Green fruit may show faint, yellowish-brown concentric rings Control: -Once plant has it there is nothing you can do. -Resistant Varieties -Reflective Mulches (silver)

Puffiness

Symptoms: -Outer wall is normal, but tomato is hollow inside; one of locular cavities usually empty

Cherry

determinates

Root Rots

soil-borne (rotate)