Identification Symptoms

  • Moist weather and splattering rains are conducive to disease development. Most outbreaks of the disease can be traced back to heavy rainstorms that occur in the area.
  • Infected leaves show small, brown, water soaked, circular spots surrounded with yellowish halo.
  • On older plants the leaflet infection is mostly on older leaves and may cause serious defoliation.
  • The most striking symptoms are on the green fruit. Small, water-soaked spots first appear which later become raised and enlarge until they are one-eighth to one-fourth inch in diameter.
  • Centers of these lesions become irregular, light brown and slightly sunken with a rough, scabby surface.
  • Ripe fruits are not susceptible to the disease. Surface of the seed becomes contaminated with the bacteria, remaining on the seed surface for some time.
  • The organism survives in alternate hosts, on volunteer tomato plants and on infected plant debris.