Diseases Management in Tomato Crop using UAL Organic Based Products

Tomatoes are a vital vegetable worldwide. They are widely grown and consumed as a key vegetable crop. However, they suffer from many diseases viz. Fusarium wilt, Early blight, Late blight, Powdery mildew, Septoria leaf spot, Bacterial speck and TOSPOvirus that affect the crop yield. Pesticides can treat these diseases, but they have harmful effects on health and nature. They also make pathogens resistant. Biopesticides are better options to manage tomato diseases. They are safe for the environment and other organisms.

List of Diseases:

1. Fusarium wilt
2. Bacterial speck
3. Early blight
4. Late blight
5. Septoria leaf spot
6. Powdery mildew
7. TOSPOvirus disease

1. Fusarium wilt:

Scientific name: Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici

Most Affected Plant Part: Leaves and stem

Symptoms of Fusarium wilt:

Initially lower leaves starts turn to yellowing due to infection, later we can observe veinlet clearing

• Infection spreads to young leaves and they start die in succession
• Browning of vascular system is the characteristic symptom of fusarium wilt, due to this petiols and leaves drop off prematurely
• Entire plant starts wilting and dies.

Control Measures (Biological)

Prophylactic

Curative

2. Bacterial Speck: 

Scientific name: Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato

Most Affected Plant Part: Leaf and Fruit

Symptoms of Bacterial Speck:

• Pathogenic bacteria cause small brown spots on leaves with yellow halo. The spots are circular with water soaked lesions.
• At severe infection we can observe necrotic spots and older leaves start to defoliate.
• On young fruits, small irregular water-soaked spots are seen.
• Centre of spots become irregular, light brown with sunken and scabby surfaces.

Control Measures (Biological)

Prophylactic

Curative

3. Early Blight:

Scientific name:   Alternaria solani

Most Affected Plant Part: Leaf and fruit

Symptoms of Early Blight:

• Typical symptom of disease is, it produces brown spots with concentric rings which resemble a bulls eye with yellow halo. 
• Leaves start to defoliate prematurely.
• Even brown concentric rings are visible on infected fruits.

Control Measures (Biological)

Prophylactic

Curative

4. Late Blight:

Scientific name:   Phytophthora infestans 

Most Affected Plant Part: Leaf, stem and fruit

Symptoms of Late Blight:

• Initially black  water-soaked lesions are appear on infected leaves and stems
• Lesions expand rapidly and the entire leaf becomes necrotic.
• White sporulation i.e. sporangia and sporangiophores, are seen on leaves.
• On infected fruit dark brown lesions are appeared
• Due to severe infection cause disintegration of fruits leads to rotting of tissues  

Control Measures (Biological)

Prophylactic

Curative

5. Septoria Leaf Spot: 

Scientific name:  Septoria lycopersici

Most Affected Plant Part: Leaf, stem and flower

Symptoms of Septoria leaf spot:

• Small, round to irregular spots with gray center and dark margin on leaves stem and flowers.
• As the spots coalesce, leaves are blighted, resulting in complete defoliation.

Control Measures (Biological)

Prophylactic

Curative

6. Powdery mildew: 

Scientific name:   Leveillula taurica / Oidiopsis neolycopersici

Most Affected Plant Part: Leaf

Symptoms of Powdery mildew:

• Initially light green and yellow patches are appear on leaves
• Abundant white sporulation is seen on upper surface of leaf and chlorotic spots on corresponding lower surface
• Premature defoliation of leaves and complete death of plants at severe stage.

Control Measures (Biological)

Prophylactic

Curative

7. Tomato spotted wilt (TOSPO): 

Scientific name: Tomato spotted wilt virus

Most Affected Plant Part: Leaf and fruit

Symptoms of TOSPO:

• Plants infected with Tomato spotted wilt virus exhibit bronzing of the upper sides of young leaves, which later develop distinct, necrotic spots. 
• Infected leaves may be curled downward,  and dieback may be seen. 
• On ripe fruit chlorotic spots and blotches appear, often with concentric rings. 
• Green fruit show slightly raised areas with faint, concentric zones.
• Thrips are the transmitting agents of this disease
• The main vector of TOSPO is thrips.

Control Measures (Biological)

Prophylactic

Curative

Products:

1. Zymo Bioguard WLT6040 
2. Zymo Biologique  
3. Xymo BLT100 
4. Xymo Bugtrol
5. Zymo Max Spread
6. Zymo Thymox
7. Xymo Ultra Spectrum
8. Merlyn Nutrex 

Diseases are a major threat to the productivity and quality of crops. Pesticides can protect crops from pests, but they also have drawbacks. They can harm the environment, human health, and beneficial organisms. They can also lead to disease resistance, making them less effective over time. To avoid these problems, it is important to use less conventional pesticides and more environmentally friendly ones. They can also be combined with a spreader and a micronutrient to enhance their performance. A spreader helps the spray solution cover the plant surface evenly, while a micronutrient improves plant growth and metabolism. Here are the best UAL organic products.

1. Zymo Bioguard WLT6040: The product is available in powder form and it contains NON-GMO Biologicals, Proteolytic Biocatalysts, Stabilizers, Bioenhancers.

• Zymo Bioguard WLT6040 alone is recommended for Fusarium wilt disease of tomato before incidence of disease as a preventive measure. 
• Increases Soil Microbial Activity, proliferates good soil aerobic microbes in root zone with adequate nutrients & denies food for anaerobic pathogens finally induces SAR.
• Zymo Biogourd  WLT6040  +  Zymo Max Spread is applied to control TOSPOVirus and Zymo Biogourd WLT6040 alone applied to Fusarium wilt as a preventive measure. 

2. Zymo Biologique: This is available in powder form and it contains Organominerals, Macronutrients, Stabilizer.

• Zymo Biologique is a broad spectrum organic mineral fungi controlling agent and it can increase the fertility of the soil.
• Bio Organic Extracts and Natural Minerals used in combinations helps in controlling Plant Fungus and Improve Immunity of the Plant to fight against Powdery Mildew disease as well as act as plant food nutrients with zero plant residue. 

3. Xymo BLT100 : This is available in powder form and it contains NON-GMO biologicals, lysing biocatalysts, stabilizers and bioenhancers.

• This is a broad spectrum bio-agents, which is recommended for Early blight, Late blight and Septoria leaf spot diseases of tomato.
• Xymo BLT 100 + Zymo Max Spread is sprayed as a preventive measure against Early & Late blight and Septoria Leaf spot of tomato. With these two biopesticides Zymo Bioguard is sprayed as a curative spray for the same diseases. 
• First spray is taken immediately after the disease incidence, once the disease is severe another spray has taken 5-7 days interval for effective management of disease.

4. Xymo Bugtrol: This is available in liquid formation. Product is a unique combination of Botanical extracts / Plant oils, Stabilizers & Excipients. 

• Major benefits of Xymo Bugtrol is, alkaloids present in it increase plant SAR (Systemic Acquired Resistance).  
• This bio pesticide is recommended for all crops and mainly  targets beetles and sucking insects which transmit the virus disease.
• Recommended dose is 1.5 ml/lit. Xymo Bugtrol + Zymo Max Spread can control TOSPOvirus in tomatoes as a curative spray.

5. Xymo Max Spread: This is available in liquid form, which is helpful for uniform spreading of biopesticide on sprayed area and is a Non-ionic organosilicone & excipient. 

• This can also be used for all crops. It breaks down the surface tension of water and increases the wetting and spreading of a spray solution.

6. Zymo Thymox :It is a concentrated broad spectrum organic fungi & bacteria controlling agent.

• Product contains a selective combination of Botanical extracts concentrate, Plant oils, Stabilizers & Excipients.
• Zymo Thymox is an effective biopesticide against bacterial species, Powdery Mildew and Fusarium wilt diseases.
• Xymo BLT 100 + Zymo Thymox are sprayed against wilt and PM diseases as curative and Zymo Thymox+ Zymo Max Spread is applied for the control of Bacterial speck as both preventive and curative measure. 

7. Xymo Ultra Spectrum: This is available in liquid formation,  which is a combination of Botanical extracts / Plant oils, Stabilizers & Excipients. 

• Plant extracts present in it increase plant SAR (Systemic Acquired Resistance). This bio pesticide is recommended for all crops against worms. 
• It mainly targets the larval stage of insects. Paralyze the nervous system of insects and hampers movement/flying and feeding. 
• Xymo Ultra Spectrum and Zymo Max Spread has to spray as a curative control measure for the management of whiteflies with this can manage TOSPOvirus repeat the same at an interval of 5-7 days when the infestation is severe. 

8. Merlyn Nutrix: This is a micronutrient. It Aids overall plant growth and development. And is available in liquid form. 

• Product has rich Mg ions to form chlorophyll, which is responsible for capturing light energy during photosynthesis.
• Merlyn Nutrex enhances plant growth and metabolism. It also helps to prevent and treat viral infections that cause leaf curling and wrinkling.
• Merlyn Nutrix is applied against TOSPO virus and powdery mildew which improves the overall physiological response of the plant system  and reduces disease development.

Certification : UAL products are also certified by OMRI and  ECOCERT, two of the most reputed and recognized certification agencies in the world. UAL manufactures and markets organic bio-solutions under the brand names ZYMO® and XYMO® series, which are certified by various international and national standards for organic agriculture, such as EU, JAS, NOP, and NPOP. UAL is not only committed to providing organic and eco-sustainable solutions, but also to maintaining the highest standards of quality and environment management systems.