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| Potato/Tomato Blight |
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This fungal disease is seen as brown, watery lesions which rapidly spread on to the leaves and stems, or as a brown discolouration of the fruit.
This can rapidly becomes a foul smelling slimy mess.
Prompt removal of infected foliage / fruit can often save the crop.
The fungus produced from wind spread spores penetrates into the host tissue, infected tissues soon dies.
Wet conditions are needed for their production and for infection to occur, i.e. t he fungus is spread by wind and rain and infects the foliage, then moves to the tubers / fruit.
Spores can over winter in dead plant tissue or infected potato tubers left in the ground and initiate infections the next season.
Potatoes are usually infected before tomatoes.
Spray with a suitable fungicide before symptoms occur.
n.b. Spraying will not prevent infection, but may slow it down and save the crop.
The fungus can be seed borne, so do not save seed from infected fruit and destroy all infected plants and do not compost!!!
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