Why are tomatoes white and hard inside? Reasons for the appearance of white pulp in tomatoes

Tomato care one of the important tasks of gardeners. How much competent care will receive plants tomatoes at different stages of development, the harvest will ripen better and more abundantly.

Some important tips from experienced gardeners tomato care will help you cope with many problems that await tomatoes throughout the development and growth of plants.

Tomato- an important, pot-bellied senor in our areas. Without him, the table is empty and the garden is not beautiful! By the way, in Europe and North America it is the second most consumed food after potatoes. First of all, the tomato is very rich in potassium, which removes excess fluid from the body and is good for the heart, as well as magnesium, which helps the body adapt to cold.

In addition, it contains useful iron and zinc, thanks to which hair and skin cells grow and wounds heal faster. Tomato also contains calcium, which strengthens bones, and phosphorus, which helps the normal course of metabolic processes; a large amount of organic acids and vitamins, especially vitamin C. It is also capable of producing the “happiness hormone” in the body - serotonin. So let's talk how to grow a tomato correctly- “happiness” in the garden!

Important information about watering tomatoes

In dry weather, plants are watered at the roots (regular or drip watering).

! Sprinkling has a negative effect on flowering, causes flowers to fall off, and delays fruit set and ripening. In addition, air humidity increases, which leads to the appearance and spread of fungal diseases.

When the fruits reach a diameter of 1-2 cm, the water consumption for each square meter of the bed is increased to 5-12 liters, watered 1-2 times every 7-10 days.
After severe drying of the soil, it is impossible to immediately carry out heavy watering; the fruits may fall off, crack, or develop blossom end rot. The watering rate in this case is 0.8-1 liters per plant.

What to feed tomatoes with?

Mineral fertilizers are applied in liquid form after watering.

Included first feeding(carried out two to three weeks after planting seedlings, during the formation of ovaries on the first inflorescence), it is advisable to include superphosphate and potassium sulfate ( based on 20-25 g superphosphate and 15-20 g of potassium sulfate per 1 m2). If the soils are poor and this negatively affects plant growth, you can additionally add up to 10 g of ammonium nitrate per 1m2.
Second, and if necessary (by visual diagnostics) and
third feeding carried out during mass growth and ripening of fruits based on ( 15-20 g ammonium nitrate and 20-25 g potassium sulfate per 1 m 2).
To obtain an early harvest, they also use foliar feeding of tomatoes. For 10 liters of water: ( 16 g uric acid and potassium sulfate, 10 g of superphosphate).

Such fertilizing is often carried out in conjunction with treating plants against or. It is better to do this in the evening, when the nutrient solution applied to the leaves dries slowly, and morning dew promotes better absorption.

In order to prevent the spread of fungal diseases, 2-3 times per season, in the second half of July, plants are treated with copper-containing preparations: Bordeaux mixture, copper oxychloride, etc.

Why are tomatoes hollow and small?

If hollow tomato fruits form(with internal voids), poor pollination is to blame. This happens due to high (more than 35°C) or low (below 12°C) air temperature.

What affects hollowness and moisture? Tomato pollen is heavy; in the humid (more than 85%) air of greenhouses, it does not fall out easily from the anthers of flowers. Therefore, it is necessary to lightly shake the plants several times a week in the morning for better pollination of flowers and fruit set, as well as regularly ventilate the greenhouse.

Reasons for crushing fruits: an abundance of stepsons, low light, lack of potassium (as well as nitrogen or phosphorus), a large difference in day and night temperatures.

30-40 days after planting the seedlings on sunny days, the lower leaves of the plants are periodically removed in the morning. By the time the fruits on the first inflorescence ripen, there should be no leaves at all on the stem below it. Then they continue to be removed, but not above the 2-3rd inflorescence. Moreover, in a week you cannot remove more than two or three leaves from tall plants and one or two from short plants! These measures improve air exchange in the lower part of the tomato plant, prevent the appearance and spread of late blight, and accelerate the ripening of fruits.

Something about planting tomatoes

Growing tomatoes carried out regularly once every 7-10 days. Depending on the variety, plants are formed into one or two or three stems. All other shoots (preferably still small, 3-5 cm) growing in the axils of the leaves, both on the main shoot and on the side shoots, are removed. By the way, these stepsons quickly grow roots and can be planted in the ground.

Formation of tomato plants in one or two stems leaving two to four inflorescences contributes to the ripening of products 12-20 days earlier than without pinching.

Universal fertilizer for tomatoes

Suitable for different varieties of tomatoes, different in shape and color!

The seedlings are planted in a film greenhouse in holes up to the top of the head, having previously torn off all the lower leaves. Water generously when planting, then during planting, and a third time during the period of mass flowering. Moreover, a special feeding solution is prepared for flowering plants.

10 liter bucket 2 kg ash pour 5 liters of boiling water, stir and let cool. Then add plain water to the brim of the bucket, pour out a small (pharmacy) bubble iodine and a bag (10g) of boric acid, they insist for a day. 1 liter of infusion is diluted in a bucket of water, then 1 liter of working solution is poured under the root for each plant.

This supplement is rich in microelements. Therefore, tomatoes bear fruit faster and better, and practically do not suffer from late blight.

Medicines for late blight

At the first signs of late blight, treat tomatoes with a solution of metronidazole (an analogue of Trichopolum) and medicinal brilliant green.

The first drug allows you to destroy the causative agent of a fungal disease, the second - treats plants. It turns out that in this way you can grow environmentally friendly products.

20 minutes before treatment, I dissolve 15 tablets in a cup. metronidazole, then pour this concentrate into a 10-liter bucket of water, add pharmaceutical bottle of brilliant green. Pour the working solution into a spray bottle and treat the leaves from below and above (or better yet, the entire plant). To prevent late blight, it is advisable to carry out the first treatment at the beginning of summer; 10 metronidazole tablets per bucket of water is enough.

Excellent(3) Poor(0)

Today I went to the Danilovsky market to choose the most delicious tomatoes. And if you succeed, then find out how to distinguish good tomatoes from bad ones.

And here I was disappointed:

There are no bad (plastic) tomatoes at a good market!

Therefore, I learned to choose between good and excellent.

Charkaz Nabiev. He has been selling tomatoes at the Danilovsky market for more than 10 years, and knows everything about them.
Shows me two fruits. From the point of view of a simple buyer, they are the same, but Cherkaz explains:

- The one on the right tastes better, the one on the left is worse. How did I know this? It's all about the "star" around the stalk. And don’t be afraid of gnarly tomatoes, they are tastier than beautiful and smooth ones.

- And if you smell a tomato, you can choose which one is better based on the smell.

- If the tomatoes are whole, then no, they have a weak smell. If there is no smell, it means that they were treated with something so that they do not spoil.

When they cut the tomato for you, then you can smell it, it should have a tasty smell, without sourness. In the cross section you will already see whether the tomato is good or not. And you can always try.

- Is there a difference between tomatoes with green and red seeds?

- No, it depends on the variety, both are different. The main thing is that everything inside is filled with seeds and juice, without voids.

- What do the white veins that are found in tomatoes mean?

- White veins, they are from nitrates.

- Is there another way to determine that a tomato contains nitrates?

- Thick skin. A ground-grown, tasty tomato should have a thin skin. And it’s thick because of nitrates.

- If you do not sell tomatoes every day, then they will be like the Chinese for you - they look the same.

At the market, ask the seller to choose the tomatoes for you

And be sure to tell us what you need them for: for cooking, for salads or for salting.

Most of my customers trust me to choose tomatoes, and only professional chefs choose themselves, and 90% count on my knowledge and experience. Why should I deceive them? If they like it, they will come to me again.

Irina Shologurova. A farmer from the Volgograd region, she herself grows about 15 varieties. When the harvest is harvested, he brings them to the Danilovsky market.

- First of all, pick up a tomato - it should be dense and elastic. But not hard, like an apple.

If it is soft, then it is better not to take it - it is stale.

Too hard - also not very good, it means it is unripe and will not ripen.

The feeling of a tomato in your hand - it should be “heavy”

And another secret of mine: the brighter the star on the back side, the sweeter the tomato will be.

And there is also a sign: when there are cracks and grooves like this, then this is good. The tomato cracks due to sugar content.

- Does the taste of a tomato somehow depend on how and where it grew?

- Yes, sure.

If tomatoes are watered often, they will be sour.

- My tomatoes, which are closer to the tap, are sour because water comes to them first. Tomatoes need sun and little water to be sweet.

Now, even in our heat, we water our tomatoes once every 10 days. If you water frequently, there will be no sugar content.

But you can always make a mistake in your choice if you don’t try the tomatoes, so I always let customers try, everyone has their own taste.

As I said, at the Danilovsky market, like at all decent markets, there are no “plastic” tomatoes. There is no point in selling them there, especially in the summer.

What's in the store?

But in supermarkets, on the contrary, there are a lot of them. Tomatoes are a perishable product and if they are not sold in 2-3 days, they will have to be written off.
I won’t talk about treating vegetables with all sorts of preparations to preserve their freshness - we are looking at natural products.

To extend the life of vegetables, producers use two directly opposite methods.
The first is to pick tomatoes that are not yet ripe so that they reach the desired condition on the way. After a few days, voids appear inside the fetus. In vegetables that ripened on the road, the stalk area is greenish and differs sharply from the color of the entire fruit. The twig deteriorates the fastest.

The second one is selling tomatoes with branches. With stalks, tomatoes last a little longer. Yes, and weight is added. And I thought it was just a marketing ploy.

So choose carefully.

How to store

Tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator.

Ideally, wrap each fruit in a napkin and store in a cool, dark place.

There is no need to buy tomatoes for future use, no matter how tasty and beautiful they are. Tomatoes are a perishable product!

Resume

If possible, buy tomatoes in civilized markets.
The seller must have certificates for all products
Don't be afraid to ask the seller to select tomatoes for you.
Ask the seller to cut one tomato.
If possible, try it.
There should be no white veins inside the tomato.
The tomato skin should be thin.
There should be no voids inside the tomato.
The tomato should be firm, neither too hard nor too soft.
The most delicious tomatoes are irregularly shaped with bright “stars”.
Do not buy burst or bruised tomatoes.
Don't buy tomatoes that are too big unless they are a specialty variety like Oxheart.

There are at least three reasons why a tomato is white inside. The first is a feature of the variety, the second is the viral disease stolbur (phytoplasmosis), the third is physiological effects (“distortion” in minerals, heat, improper watering, etc.). Each of these cases will have its own characteristics of white tomato pulp, which we propose to talk about in this article.
Tomato white inside: variety feature

Indeed, some varieties of tomatoes intended for long-term transportation, for pickling and canning, suffer from white veins and dense, tasteless pulp in the center.

How can you tell if a tomato is white inside because of its variety? The feature will not be expressed too clearly; Apart from slight whitening and/or veining, no other symptoms, such as yellowing and deformation of leaves, spots on tomatoes, green color of the tomato near the stalk, thinned tomato flowers, will be expressed.

Sometimes red veins in a tomato are just a feature of the variety
Tomato white inside: stolbur (phytoplasmosis)

Stolbur, or phytoplasmosis, is a viral disease of nightshades, including tomatoes, that cannot be treated. Stolbur is carried by insects - cicadas, aphids, bollworms, and whiteflies. This virus overwinters in the rhizomes of plants, mainly weeds: plantain, thistle, bindweed, St. John's wort, as well as affected rhizomes of garden plants.

The first symptoms indicating stolbur on your tomato are that young leaves become small, rough, with a pink or purple tint and curved edges, and the tomato stem thickens. Phytoplasmosis is especially clearly visible on tomato flowers - the petals become small, thin, pale or greenish, often grow together to form a bell, the stamens are underdeveloped, the pistil is short. Often such flowers become sterile. With further development of the stolbur, the tomato leaves turn yellow and fall off.

But the most important thing is that with stolbur, the tomato pulp becomes white, hard, tasteless, and the fruits themselves are unevenly colored. Tomatoes become smaller and sometimes become unfit for food. At the same time, standard (limited in growth) varieties are affected by phytoplasmosis much less frequently.

What can you do if the tomatoes are white inside precisely because of the stolbur? In case of severe damage, the plants are removed from the garden and burned. If the tomato has nourished the fruits, collect them, but do not take seeds from them for further sowing, after which be sure to pull out the plant by the roots and burn it.

This disease cannot be cured. All we can do is prevent:

Destroy weeds. This is a nursery for viruses, so weeds need to be destroyed not only between the rows, but also around the beds or greenhouses. If cases of stolbur have occurred, you can use herbicides

Fight non-insect vectors using insecticides (Fitoverm, Calypso, Aktara, Operkot and others), starting from the moment of planting tomatoes

Monitor the quality of seedlings and seeding material.
Tomatoes are white inside: physiological effects

If a tomato has a green, seemingly unripe part near the stalk, if the fruit itself is unevenly colored, with spots, then we are probably talking about a lack of potassium and calcium. At the same time, it is not necessary that there is little potassium in the soil - due to heat above 30-35 degrees, the plant stops absorbing this element. Especially often, a tomato turns white inside due to a potassium deficiency due to nitrogen overfeeding. Another sign of potassium starvation is marginal burn on the lower leaves of a tomato (feed the tomato with potassium sulfate, potassium humate, potassium monophosphate), calcium starvation is yellowing and necrosis of the upper leaves of the tomato, blossom end rot.

High temperature (more than 35 degrees) and low humidity during the flowering period and a week before flowering leads to the fact that tomatoes become unable to form the pigment responsible for their red color - lycopene. At temperatures above 36 degrees, pollen becomes sterile (tomatoes bloom, but do not set), at temperatures above 40 degrees, the turgor of the plant decreases critically, it begins to wither and may die. The ideal temperature for tomatoes is 20-25 degrees. It is very important that the night temperature (namely, pollen is formed at night) is lower than the daytime temperature.

The uneven color of tomatoes, especially the green color near the stalk, indicates the inability of the plant to absorb potassium and calcium (due to high temperature or low concentration in the soil), and without potassium the pigment lycopene, which is responsible for the color of the tomato, is not formed
What can be done to prevent tomatoes from turning white inside from extreme heat?

Mulch plants, because plant roots suffer from high temperatures and stop absorbing potassium

Do not overfeed with nitrogen, relying on potassium and calcium fertilizers before flowering and during fruit set

Ventilate the greenhouse, whiten the roof of the greenhouse, try to smooth out the difference between night and day temperatures

FROM DISCUSSIONS:
You can eat. but they are tasteless. Store-bought tomatoes are most often picked from the bush too early. with normal maturation this factor disappears. that is, it happens at the beginning of maturation. then disappears. if it is a stolbur, it will not disappear. in the heat, the absorption of substances is hampered by a lack of water. that is, you need to water more often in small doses and fertilize. summer residents are either simply obsessed with poisons and stimulants. or ardent opponents. but adding microelements is a first aid to the plant.

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The most common tomato diseases, descriptions, treatment tips, photos of some (alas, there are many more) troubles that we may encounter on our site if the tomatoes do not have enough nutrition or, on the contrary, are overfed. Therefore, it still won’t hurt us to get to know them. Such knowledge is needed by everyone involved in their cultivation. What are the diseases of tomatoes and how to treat them? Tomato diseases, descriptions with photographs and methods of treatment - this is a brief overview; there are many more diseases.

There is a belief among gardeners that the main problem for tomatoes is late blight. In fact, tomatoes have a lot of diseases in different areas or even in the same area, but in different areas the plants become infected with different infections. For example, in one area, plants may be destroyed by late blight, in a second by macrosporiosis, and in a third by cladosporiosis. And in order to defeat the disease, or at least know for yourself in the future how to protect your harvest, you need to know the main symptoms of diseases.

Many publications often write that the tomato is an unpretentious crop. I wouldn't say that now. Too many ills have befallen this culture in recent years. What does he need? Light, warmth, nutrition, moisture. But even if tomatoes are provided with all this, they are not always successful. Tomato diseases are not uncommon. Why do they get sick? Because it's all about the little things.

Mosaic

Mosaic is a viral disease. The disease is quite unpleasant because it has virtually no treatment. The only remedy is prevention. And then you need to treat the seeds before planting. It is useless to treat diseased plants. The leaves of diseased plants acquire a variegated (mosaic) color - dark and light green areas alternate. Yellow spots sometimes develop on the fruits. If your tomatoes are sick with this disease, it is better to simply remove them. Mosaic disease mainly affects tomatoes in open ground. The first source of infection is infected seeds. For prevention, it is best to treat the seeds before planting.

Bacterial wilt of tomatoes (bacteriosis)

Why do tomatoes wither in open ground or in a greenhouse? The external manifestation of the disease is that the bush withers.

This is alarming to gardeners, as symptoms can appear overnight. In such cases we are not talking about a lack of moisture. Everything happens very quickly. When examining a dead plant in detail, you can notice a void inside the stem and the presence of liquid inside it. The internal tissues of the stem may take on a brown tint.

Sectional view of a stem of a plant suffering from bacterial wilt

The disease cannot be cured. All diseased plants must be urgently removed and destroyed. Experts advise watering neighboring or all (even without signs of disease) plants with a 0.6-1% solution of Fitolavin-300 (watering volume - at least 200 ml for each plant). You can spray the plants with a solution of the same concentration. This will not cure already diseased plants, but will delay the infection of healthy ones (2-3 weeks).

Tomato stem necrosis

Viral disease. The first signs of the disease appear on the stems of well-developed plants, when the first bunches of fruit begin to form. Small cracks appear at the bottom of the stem, initially dark green in color. Then, in these cracks, the rudiments of aerial roots appear. The leaves begin to wither, the plant falls, the bush dies. The fruits do not have time to ripen.

The source of infection is seeds, contaminated soil. Such bushes must be torn out, destroyed - burned or buried. Treat the soil with a 0.2% solution of Fitolavin-300.

Alternaria or macrosporiosis (brown or dry spotting)

Fungal disease. It affects leaves, stems, and less often fruits.

First, the lower leaves become diseased and become covered with round, large, brown spots with concentric zonality.

The photos above and below show brown spots on yellowed leaves characteristic of this disease. Very often, novice gardeners skip this moment and do not pay attention to the yellow leaves, believing that it is simply the lower leaves dying off. Perhaps this happens.

But more often they realize it when all the leaves become dry (second photo below) and only the fruits remain on the plant. At this stage, you can no longer help the bushes. Therefore, do not wait, try to immediately pick off the leaves that begin to turn yellow.

Alternaria tomato blight, photo

Brown spots increase in size, merge, and leaves dry out.

The spots on the stem are oval, dark brown, large, with the same zoning.

They cause dieback or dry rot of the stem.

Dark, slightly depressed spots form on the fruit, most often on the stalk. At high humidity, dark velvety sporulation of the fungus appears on top of the spots. The disease on tomatoes is activated at high temperatures, especially at 25-30°C.

The fungus is preserved on plant debris and greenhouse floors. Thanks to abundant sporulation, it quickly spreads with raindrops and wind.

Alternaria or macrosporiosis of tomatoes, photos and their treatment: for prevention - treatment with antifungal copper-containing drugs. At the first appearance of symptoms of the disease, treatment with Skor, Ridomil Gold or other antifungal agents. Skor and Ridomil Gold are strong chemicals - they can be used to treat plants before the ovaries appear, since the waiting period (until the fruits can be eaten is 50-60 days). If symptoms of the disease appear and the fruits are already hanging, then it is advisable to treat them with biological products, for example, Trichodermin or Immunotocyte, or Immunocytophyte.

Late blight (late blight)

Phytophthora - fruits

The first signs of late blight

Late blight (late blight) is perhaps the most common disease of tomatoes. It also affects tomatoes in open ground. Late blight is a fungal disease. And fungal spores, as we know, develop where there is dampness. Sudden changes in air temperature also contribute to the development of this tomato disease. First the leaves turn black and dry, then the fruits.

Watering greenhouse tomatoes through a bottle

But an experienced gardener knows how to delay the onset of this tomato disease as much as possible in order to have time to collect the maximum amount of fruit. I use regular plastic bottles with the bottom cut off for this. I make holes in the side with a nail and insert the bottle, neck down, near the roots of the tomato bush. That is, I will water the tomatoes not on the surface of the soil, but through a bottle. A bottle of water should be covered with something on top, for example, a mayonnaise bucket. In this case, all the moisture will go to the roots, but no moisture will get into the air, and the leaves below will not sweat. That is, with this simple technique we do not create conditions for the proliferation of mushrooms in the greenhouse.

You can prevent the development of late blight in tomatoes growing in open ground or a greenhouse by regularly (once a week) spraying with whey. Lactic acid prevents fungal spores from developing. Also, for the prevention of late blight, drugs such as Fitosporin, Zaslon, Barrier are also used.

Chloratic leaf curl of tomatoes

Affected plants are distinguished by their light green or yellowish color, chlorotic appearance, short stature, and curly tops. The disease is caused by two viruses - tobacco mosaic virus and tobacco necrosis virus. Transmitted by seeds and contaminated soil. Control measures are the same as with mosaic - disinfection of seeds and soil. It is better to remove diseased plants.

Chloratic leaf curl of tomatoes is often confused with the appearance of leaf curl at the tops of bushes (information below).

Cladosporiosis or brown spot of tomatoes, treatment

Cladosporiosis of tomatoes, photo

Brown olive spot (cladosporiosis) is also a fungal disease, but it mainly spreads in the greenhouse. The lower leaves become diseased first. Chlorotic yellow round spots appear on the upper side of the leaf, which will subsequently merge and look like one single spot. The underside of the leaf is covered with a brown velvety coating - these are fungal spores. As a result, the leaves gradually begin to curl and dry out. More often the disease manifests itself during flowering or at the beginning of fruiting. The earlier the infection occurs, the more harmful it is. With high air humidity (up to 95%), daylight hours of about 10-12 hours and low illumination, the disease is more acute.

In the pictures above you will see the manifestation of the disease in the process of development - from the moment the first signs appear until the peak of the disease (if you look at the photo from top to bottom).

Fetuses are rarely affected by this disease, mainly only if no measures are taken. If this happens, then the fruits become brownish-dark, soften - then they will dry out anyway. The cause of the disease may be watering with too cold water, a sharp temperature change, or dampness. Before treatment, all affected leaves are broken off.

Control measures are copper-containing drugs, for example, Bordeaux mixture or Barrier, Barrier.

Septoria, white leaf spot

Septoria

Septoria leaf spot, white leaf spot, is a fungal disease. Reduces yield, causing premature drying and leaf fall. The lower leaves become diseased first. First, single rounded small light spots appear. The center of the spot is gray-white, and the edges are slightly darker. Then a black dot appears in the middle of the spot. The disease first affects the leaves, then the petioles and stems. After some time, the leaves turn brown and then fall off. High humidity and warm weather contribute to the rapid spread of the disease. The harmfulness of septoria increases in the second half of summer.

Septoria blight is not transmitted by seeds.

Treat with copper-containing preparations, for example, Zineb, Horus, copper oxychloride. The sooner the better. It is advisable to remove the affected leaves at the very beginning of the disease, even if only the growing point at the tops of the stems remains.

Gray rot

Gray rot affects the aboveground organs of plants. Brown weeping spots appear on the leaves, buds, and flowers, covering the entire plant in 8-10 hours (usually overnight) with an abundant ash-gray powdery coating - fungal spores. The spots on the stems are brown or gray, at first dry, then slightly slimy. They are most often located around wound sites, for example, when stepsons break off or at the branches of stems. The viability of the spores lasts 1-2 years.

Gray rot - affects tomatoes at the end of summer, when it becomes cool and cold rains occur. This is one of the most common fungal diseases of tomatoes. It occurs when there is poor ventilation, when the greenhouse is poorly ventilated, with high humidity, or a violation of the temperature regime, if we are talking about growing in a greenhouse.

The first signs of gray rot on tomato leaves

The first signs of gray rot on a green tomato

The first signs of gray rot on a ripe tomato

As long as the fruits have such faint whitish concentric spots, they are suitable for eating. There will be no particular problems with fruits that have time to turn red on the bush. But problems will begin (if measures are not taken in time) at the end of summer, that is, when you have to collect green fruits for ripening. Then such fruits will be the first to begin to deteriorate and can infect healthy fruits in the boxes. Therefore, if you notice fruits with such whitish concentric circles, it is better to tear off the tops of the bushes so that the fruits have time to ripen on the plant.
One way to combat this disease is to remove the affected leaves before the disease goes further and penetrates inside the trunk. It is advisable to remove leaves in sunny weather, so that by evening the places where the leaves are cut have time to dry out and fungal spores do not fall on the trunks. Try not to irrigate by sprinkling immediately after removing shoots or leaves.

To prevent gray rot, spraying plants with garlic infusion is useful - leave 30 g of chopped garlic (arrows can be used) for 2 days in 10 liters of water.

Brown rot (fomoz)

Brown rot

Brown rot (fomoz) - develops near the stalk. It may be a small spot on the outside, but the core of the tomato will be completely rotten. To protect your crop from this disease, you should also avoid fertilizing with fresh manure.

Blackleg

This is a fungal infectious disease. The causative agent of blackleg is the fungus Rhizoctonia. Occurs in greenhouses or greenhouses. The spread of the fungus depends on growing conditions.

Fungal spores penetrate the root collar of weakened plants. The stem at the root darkens, thins over 3-5 cm, then rots. And the plants wither and die after 4-6 days from the beginning of wilting.

With sudden changes in temperature, high humidity, dense sowing in constantly used soil, and lack of ventilation, the disease progresses quickly.

The main source of infection is contaminated, waterlogged soil. When there is severe waterlogging in the light, microscopic algae begin to grow in the soil, on which the fungus grows. The rhizoctonia fungus, getting into microcracks on the trunks of seedlings, quickly spreads and the plant dies. The disease also spreads with plant debris, lumps of soil, and partly with seeds.

Control measures. Growing seedlings on infection-free soil. As pathogens accumulate, change the soil or pre-plant disinfection.

adding sand to the planted plants with a layer of 2 cm, which helps dry the soil and form additional roots;
liming of soil in greenhouses or greenhouses;
loosening the soil;
systematic ventilation;
watering the soil with manganese-acid potassium (3-5 g + 10 l of water).

If a large percentage of seedlings are infected, it is usually recommended to treat the plants with Previkur or Funadazol. But these drugs are not effective against the rhizoctonia fungus. Try to find on sale remedies for diseases containing mefenoxam (read the “composition” section in the instructions), for example, Ridomil, Uniform.

It is pointless to spray solutions of these drugs on the leaf, since the main culprit of the disease is in the soil. You will have to water the soil in which the plants are located. But first you need to dry the soil. This can be done by frequently loosening the soil or adding sand or peat to the pots of seedlings.

Root rot

Root rot - both tomatoes and cucumbers suffer from this disease. The main reason is poorly prepared soil - a lot of unrotted manure, damp, wet soil. To get rid of it, sometimes you have to change all the soil in the greenhouse.

Apical rot

Top rot Variety Pink icicle

Black spots on tomatoes, what are they? Blossom rot is a disease that affects only tomato fruits, on which black spots appear on the bottom of the tomatoes. This is not even a disease, but physiological disturbances in the development of the plant. Most often caused by irregular watering or insufficient calcium supply to the fruits in the initial stages of their growth.

But this does not mean that there is little calcium in the soil. At high temperatures, calcium simply cannot be absorbed by tomatoes. Therefore, if tomatoes grow in a greenhouse, you should monitor the microclimate and ventilate more often.

Top rot can also occur with a lack of moisture or excess nitrogen. Perhaps you overfed the plants, for example, with liquid manure.

If the microclimate in the greenhouse is normal, and fruits with signs of damage by blossom end rot appear, then you can feed the plants with calcium.

Egg shells (crushed), ash, dolomite flour - the main element is calcium. You can add any of them when planting. Please note that this method will only work as a preventive measure. If signs of damage appear, this method will not work.

A mixture of onion peels and eggshells also helps protect tomatoes from blossom end rot. But this is also like prevention. If already damaged fruits appear, then this method will not help. In the spring, pour a handful of crushed mixture of husks and shells into the planting holes of tomatoes and peppers.

The best way to add the required dose of calcium so that it is quickly absorbed is spraying with a solution of calcium nitrate (0.5-1%). The main thing is to treat the smallest fruits, even if they are the size of a pea, so spray the tops. Remove the affected fruits; they cannot be saved.

Regular watering, calcium nitrate at the root, calcium nitrate or Brexil Ca at the leaf - your tomatoes will never show signs of blossom end rot.

Fruit cracking

Fruit cracking is not a disease, but a consequence of improper care.
This usually happens with uneven watering, with sudden transitions from dry to wet soil and vice versa.

But, if you notice such cracks on the fruits (see photo below), then the reason for their appearance is completely different. Such cracks in tomatoes are popularly called “mother-in-law’s smile” or “cat’s face.” the reason for their appearance is an overdose of nitrogen or improper use of pollination stimulants.

Yellow or green spot near the stalk

Why don't tomatoes turn red at the stem? Very often this phenomenon is a varietal feature. But sometimes it appears on the fruits of those varieties and hybrids that did not show such signs in previous years.

Below are two photos. The first is a green spot on the stalk - a feature of the variety, the so-called greenback - fruits with a green spot on the stalk. They are characterized by uneven coloring. By the way, there is an opinion that tomato varieties containing a high sugar content more often have this feature.

The second photo shows the fruits of the Cio-Cio-San variety. Here we are no longer talking about varietal features. High air temperatures in summer disrupted the formation of lycopene, which is why the process of carotene formation arose. Therefore, this is not a disease, the variety has nothing to do with it either. This is the effect of heat during fruit ripening. The pigment (red color of the fruit) has faded due to high temperature. This phenomenon can only be avoided by shading plants from the sun.

Variety Watermelon

Variety Cio-Cio-San

Silver spots on tomato leaves

Recently, questions from gardeners growing tomatoes in greenhouses about strange spots on the leaves of silver-colored plants have become more frequent.

Experts on plant diseases came to the conclusion that this is not a disease, but physiological disturbances in plant development, deviations from the norm. There may be two reasons:

sharp fluctuations in day and night air temperatures;
genetic deviations of hybrids, when, as a result of breeding work, poorly developed hybrids are quickly released into production.

Oedema (edema) - swelling of leaves

Oedema on tomato leaves

There is such a phenomenon, or rather, a condition of the plant - oedema (edema) - swelling of the leaves when the watering regime is violated. It is not contagious, it is not a disease. It appears on leaves and stems when the leaf blade is oversaturated with moisture as a result of the fact that the liquid continues to move up the plant under the influence of intraroot pressure.

This most often occurs when the soil is warmer than the air temperature (for example, in cool weather) when the humidity is high. Such conditions contribute to the development of oedema. With it, convex spots appear on the leaves and stems, similar to white mold, sometimes solid spots, sometimes dotted, sometimes the stems and leaves curl, “break.” More often they say it’s from overflow. But this is not always the case. Not only humidity plays an equally important role, but also air temperature.

In this case, it is advised to ventilate the plants more often in order to normalize the humidity level, increase illumination (there is not enough sun), and increase the air temperature (there is also not enough heat).

Phytotoxicity of soil (soil)

This is not a disease, but a change in the properties of the soil as a result of inept, unprofessional use, for example, of pesticides, fertilizers or other substances, which, instead of having a positive effect, begin to have a depressing, poisonous effect on tomatoes or other plants. This can manifest itself in different ways.

We know of cases of spots appearing on leaves with a dark purple tint, which then dry out.

Pay attention to the last photo. Leaf damage occurs from bottom to top. This suggests that, most likely, nutritional standards were violated during watering; apparently the soil contains some nutrients that have a depressing effect on the tomato.

Other possible causes are increased soil moisture, too low air and soil temperatures.

Twisting (twisting) of leaves at the tops of bushes

This is not a disease, but rather a violation of the conditions of maintenance and nutrition of plants. Experts name several reasons for the appearance of curled leaves on the tops of tomato bushes:

severe overwatering - the roots do not have enough air in very wet soil;
poisoning of plants with herbicides (accidental contact with plant leaves);
spraying with the growth stimulant Tomaton (compositionally unbalanced preparations are often found on sale - this is the fault of Central Asian producers). By the way, with an increased dosage, any stimulants turn into herbicides.

Frequent loosening and hilling of tomatoes will help with overwatering. It will help normalize air exchange in the soil. But the second and third reasons are much more serious. It is unlikely that plants will recover from treatment with herbicides; most likely they will have to be removed.

Signs of lack of essential nutrients

If your tomatoes grow with some deviations from the norm, then it may not be a disease, but a lack of some nutrients.

First of all, you need to look at what part of the plant the problem is in - at the top of the bush, on young leaves, or at the bottom, on old leaves.

If the problem starts with the lower leaves, then most likely it is a lack of the following nutrients.

Nitrogen is one of the main elements necessary for the growth of tomatoes. He is responsible for both the leaves and the fruits too. With its lack, everything becomes small and pale. But nitrogen can be harmful when in excess. In this case, the tomatoes may simply become “fat” - the leaves will become huge, fat, the trunks will be thick, and there will be few fruits or they may not set at all.

Phosphorus is responsible for providing the plant with energy, for the development of the root system, resistance to cold and mechanical damage.

Potassium is an element of cell youth. It increases resistance to diseases, frosts, droughts, makes plants stronger, stronger, and improves the quality of fruits.

Zinc is responsible for phosphorus metabolism and the synthesis of vitamins. If you have a zinc deficiency, spraying with a solution of zinc sulfate will help.

Top of a bush with symptoms of zinc deficiency

Magnesium – increases the intensity of photosynthesis, the formation of chlorophyll, is necessary throughout the growing season. Recommendations: foliar feeding (spraying) with a 0.5-1% solution of magnesium sulfate.

The color of tomato leaves indicates magnesium deficiency

Molybdenum regulates almost all metabolic processes - phosphorus, nitrogen, the formation of chlorophyll, the process of nitrogen fixation from the air.

Now let’s see what our tomatoes may be missing if the problems started from the top of the bush, that is, from the young upper leaves.

Calcium - its deficiency can provoke the development of blossom end rot. It also stimulates the development of the entire plant, its root system.

The photo below shows fruits with traces of sunburn. But experts believe that acute calcium deficiency can also manifest itself in fruits.

Boron - this element is responsible for pollination, fertilization, it is also involved in carbohydrate and protein metabolism, and increases resistance to disease.

Sulfur is a building stone for protein, is part of proteins, and is one of the starting products for the biosynthesis of amino acids. With its deficiency, the stems become thin, fragile, and rigid.

Iron - its deficiency does not occur very often, mainly in places where lime has been placed. But, nevertheless, iron is one of the main nutritional elements of tomatoes. Its deficiency manifests itself in leaf chlorosis. They become lighter, yellowish in color. It is necessary to treat with iron-containing complex preparations.

Not enough iron

Chlorine - its deficiency is also rare, but, nevertheless, can lead to withering of young leaves.

Manganese – participates in photosynthesis, carbohydrate and protein metabolism, activates enzymes. Its deficiency can often be confused with a viral mosaic.

On tomato bushes we may encounter a simple leaf curling.

But this has nothing to do with tomato diseases or lack of any nutrients. It's all about the large difference in night-day temperatures, as well as the fact that we too abruptly removed a large number of stepsons and lower leaves. Most often this occurs due to heat.

What causes tomato leaves to turn yellow?

The leaves on the tomatoes began to turn yellow in abundance. But somehow strange, uneven. First from the middle, then the yellowness covered the entire leaf blade; there were also those that immediately turned yellow without transitions. Why is this happening?

If the leaves begin to turn yellow from the middle, this is a signal that the plant requires feeding with any potassium fertilizer. You can use, for example, ash. Take 1 glass of ash, dilute it in 10 liters of water, pour 0.5 liters directly under the root. Also, yellowing of tomato leaves can occur due to aging of the leaves; they just need to be regularly removed from the bush.

Two photos below: this is what the plants look like two or three weeks after planting in open ground or a greenhouse, if the soil in the root zone contains an increased concentration of salts.

These tomatoes were planted in soil generously fertilized with cow manure, which contains a lot of sodium and potassium salts. Expert advice: the soil should not be oversaturated with organic matter, and if this happens, you should water the plants more often in small doses to wash out excess salts from the soil. Over time, these spotted leaves will dry out and fall off, but new ones will grow without signs of oversaturation with salts.

The usual color for a tomato is red, which is why a white tomato raises many questions among gardeners and consumers, unless this is a feature of the variety...

There are several varieties of white-fruited tomatoes bred by breeders. Among them:

Snow globe;
White Queen;
White Heart;
White miracle;
White beauty.

The listed tomato varieties are distinguished by the absolutely white color of the fruit. Transitions from white to yellow at the base, pinkish inclusions barely noticeable on the peel are acceptable. The shape of the fruit, depending on the variety, can be spherical, flat, round, flattened, elongated. The pulp is soft, juicy, aromatic.

Such tomatoes do not pose any health threat. But white inclusions and veins inside red tomatoes indicate that the product should not be eaten. This can lead to poisoning of the body and other unpleasant consequences.

There may be several reasons for this phenomenon:

Unsuitable growing conditions.
Incorrect fertilizer dosage.
Plant disease.

Partially or completely white color of tomatoes indicates that the fruits have not had time to ripen. This often occurs due to lack of sunlight. If you place such tomatoes on a windowsill, then in a couple of days they will acquire the color familiar to their variety. But they will still be hard to the touch and remain tasteless. Eating unripe tomatoes in the garden is not dangerous; they will not cause poisoning, but there is practically no benefit to them. The lack of sunlight also affects the nutrition of the plant. Unripe fruits contain minimal amounts of vitamins.

White spots on tomatoes also appear due to exposure to excessively high temperatures. During the ripening period, heat has a detrimental effect on the quality of the fruit, preventing them from absorbing potassium in the required quantities. Prolonged exposure can lead to the death of the plant. The temperature favorable for fruit ripening is from 15 to 32 °C.

Exceeding this range disrupts the production of lycopene (red pigment) and carotene, and the fruit becomes covered with white spots. In a cross-section of such a tomato, the unripe part is visible at the very stem, spreading in veins throughout the entire core.

Violation of the order and dosage of fertilizers

Incorrect order and dosage of fertilizers for feeding is another reason for the appearance of white spots and veins inside tomatoes. White pulp may indicate either a lack of mineral fertilizers or an excess. When planting a tomato bush, during the period of its growth, flowering, fruit set and ripening, the plant must be fed. But the bush should be fertilized in a certain sequence, observing the dosage of minerals.

Neglect of these rules leads to improper distribution of minerals in fruits and disruption of the ripening process. The lack of potassium and calcium mainly affects the quality of tomato pulp. It does not take on the usual red tint, but remains white.

White, firm tomatoes with thick, tough skins may be the result of overfertilizing the plant with nitrogen. Such fruits should not be eaten as food, as they can cause poisoning. The fact is that overfeeding plants leads to the accumulation of breakdown products of mineral fertilizers and nitrates in ripe fruits. Such tomatoes do not contain any benefits; they do not contain the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body. Eating them can be hazardous to health.

Formation and care of tomatoes (video)

Plant disease

White, hard, tasteless tomato pulp may be a symptom of a crop disease. The viral disease, which is called phytoplasmosis, or stolbur, is transmitted by insects: cicadas, aphids, bollworms, and whiteflies. Weeds become its temporary refuge, for example in winter. A plant infected with a virus cannot be treated.

Phytoplasmosis can be recognized even at the flowering stage of a tomato bush by its small thin petals. They acquire a pale greenish tint and sometimes grow together. At the same time, the leaves of the bush turn yellow and fall off. Most often, the flowers become sterile; if they bear fruit, they grow small and hard. The flesh of tomatoes infected with stolbur is white and tasteless. Such fruits cannot be eaten, and their seeds are unsuitable for further sowing.

The consequences of nitrate poisoning can be serious, which is why it is better not to eat tomatoes with noticeable white spots and veins.

It is not so easy to distinguish an unripe fruit from one overfed with nitrogen or infected with a virus, so it is better to give preference to ripe, soft red tomatoes with their usual aroma.

Tomato diseases and ways to combat them (video)

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Tomato plants grown in the best conditions will occasionally produce hard, tasteless tomatoes with white flesh inside. This may depend on the plant variety; if there is late blight disease (stolbur); or the cause may be a physical component - poor quality care, unfavorable weather conditions.

In this article we will consider all the reasons in detail.

And in fact, several varieties of tomato hybrids have a specific gene that gives such a white streak. Such tomatoes are used for long-distance transportation, long-term storage, and pickling.

And especially savvy gardeners grow such fruits and put them up for sale, but not for their own consumption, because having an attractive appearance, they are not particularly intended for fresh food.

To avoid getting into trouble, you should carefully study all the varieties you are interested in before purchasing seeds. You can use long-proven species that are most often used for planting.

You can make sure that this is varietal specificity quite simply: there are no spots on the plant, the leaves and shoots of the tomato bushes are free from signs of disease, and there are no harmful insects on them.

The cause is plant disease

Phytoplasmosis or stolbur is an incurable disease that is caused by microplasma microbes; they live directly in the tissues of the plant. Symptoms can be seen even at an early stage of development of a young plant. The bushes themselves will be greatly delayed in development, the leaves will be small, deformed and hard and will change color.

The main sources of stolbur are perennial weeds, in the roots of which pathogens have settled. Examples of such weeds: sow thistle, plantain, field bindweed.

Insects also carry phytoplasmosis: cicadas, aphids and stink bugs.

Tomato white inside: variety feature

Indeed, some varieties of tomatoes intended for long-term transportation, for pickling and canning, suffer from white veins and dense, tasteless pulp in the center.

How can you tell if a tomato is white inside because of its variety? The feature will not be expressed too clearly; Apart from slight whitening and/or veining, no other symptoms, such as yellowing and deformation of leaves, spots on tomatoes, green color of the tomato near the stalk, thinned tomato flowers, will be expressed.

Sometimes red veins in a tomato are just a feature of the variety

Tomato white inside: stolbur (phytoplasmosis)

Stolbur, or phytoplasmosis, is a viral disease of nightshades, including tomatoes, that cannot be treated. Stolbur is carried by insects - cicadas, aphids, bollworms, and whiteflies. This virus overwinters in the rhizomes of plants, mainly weeds: plantain, thistle, bindweed, St. John's wort, as well as affected rhizomes of garden plants.

The first symptoms indicating stolbur on your tomato– young leaves become small, rough, with a pink or purple tint and curved edges, the tomato stem thickens. Phytoplasmosis is especially visible on tomato flowers.– petals become small, thin, pale or greenish, often grow together to form a bell, the stamens are underdeveloped, the pistil is short. Often such flowers become sterile. With further development of the stolbur, the tomato leaves turn yellow and fall off.

But the most important thing is With stolbur, the tomato pulp becomes white, hard, tasteless, and the fruits themselves are unevenly colored. Tomatoes become smaller and sometimes become unfit for food. At the same time, standard (limited in growth) varieties are affected by phytoplasmosis much less frequently.

What can you do if the tomatoes are white inside precisely because of the stolbur? In case of severe damage, the plants are removed from the garden and burned. If the tomato has nourished the fruits, collect them, but do not take seeds from them for further sowing, after which be sure to pull out the plant by the roots and burn it.

This disease cannot be cured. All we can do is prevent:

- Destroy weeds. This is a nursery for viruses, so weeds need to be destroyed not only between the rows, but also around the beds or greenhouses. If cases of stolbur have occurred, you can use herbicides

- Fight insect vectors, using insecticides (Fitoverm, Calypso, Aktara, Operkot and others), starting from the moment the tomatoes are planted

- Monitor the quality of seedlings and seeding material.

Tomatoes are white inside: physiological effects

If a tomato has a green, seemingly unripe part near the stalk, if the fruit itself is unevenly colored, with spots, then we are probably talking about about a lack of potassium and calcium. At the same time, it is not necessary that there is little potassium in the soil - due to heat above 30-35 degrees, the plant stops absorbing this element. Especially often, a tomato turns white inside due to a potassium deficiency due to nitrogen overfeeding. Another sign of potassium starvation is marginal burn on the lower leaves of a tomato (feed the tomato with potassium sulfate, potassium humate, potassium monophosphate), calcium starvation is yellowing and necrosis of the upper leaves of the tomato, blossom end rot.

What can be done to prevent tomatoes from turning white inside from extreme heat?

Mulch plants, because plant roots suffer from high temperatures and stop absorbing potassium

- do not overfeed with nitrogen, placing a bet before flowering and during fruit set on potash and calcium fertilizers

- ventilate the greenhouse, whitewash the roof of the greenhouse, try to smooth out the difference between night and day temperatures