All about white spots on tomato seedlings: reasons, what to do, treatment

Why do white spots appear on the leaves of tomato seedlings?

Tomatoes are not considered a capricious crop, but like other vegetables, they can be susceptible to various diseases. Many gardeners believe that late blight disease is the most common disease that attacks tomato plantings. However, tomato seedlings are sometimes susceptible to other diseases and pest attacks. White spots on the leaves of tomato seedlings are not uncommon and occur even with proper care from experienced gardeners. The spots can have different colors, textures, sizes, and affected areas. You should carefully study the nature of the spots to find out the specific reason for their appearance.

Reasons for the appearance of white spots on the leaves of tomato seedlings

White spots on all tomato seedlings occur mainly on young plantings, since they have not yet developed immunity. Spotting and white stains appear most often on large varieties of tomatoes. If you notice and prevent white spots on tomatoes in time, you can heal the plantings and enjoy the harvest next season. The only good thing about the appearance of white spots is that it is not difficult to notice plaque or damage to seedlings. The main rule for growing tomatoes is to regularly water the plantings and not to overdo it with fertilizers.

Tomato leaves turn black

The leaves of young tomato seedlings may turn black due to violations of agricultural practices, because the seedlings are very sensitive to conditions. In other cases, these are symptoms of much more dangerous and sometimes incurable diseases.

— Spots of a dark, almost black or graphite hue are a sign of brown spotting. They are brown at first, but darken very quickly;

— Alternaria blight provokes the appearance of black necrotic lesions on tomatoes;

— Cercospora blight most often affects peppers and eggplants, but also poses a threat to tomatoes. In this case, the spots are black, with a whitish center and a greenish halo.

Why do white spots appear on seedlings?

As soon as the gardener notices the appearance of white spots, measures should be taken immediately to resolve this situation. First of all, it’s worth understanding where the spots came from, and then deciding what methods should be used to get rid of the spotting.

White spots can appear for two reasons

• Sun or heat burn.
• Fungal infections.

It often happens that tomatoes grow well and feel wonderful, but as soon as their location changes, they immediately lose their appearance. This is due to the fact that the tomatoes are not accustomed to the new place, especially when it comes to sunlight. In the case of sunburn, spots can be seen on the upper leaves. At the initial stage of sunburn, the lower part of the plant is exposed to the disease, gradually affecting the seedlings to the very top.

Reasons for whitening of tomato leaves

Tomato seedlings are usually grown indoors: stable air temperature, absence of precipitation and wind, contribute to the fact that the seedlings grow together, become stronger, and grow green leaves. The only disadvantage of growing seedlings at home is the lack of lighting, which is usually compensated for by artificial light lamps.

In such favorable conditions, seedlings grow of high quality, but tender. She was not used to changeable weather, sharp temperature fluctuations, bright ultraviolet rays, or cold spring precipitation.

Having planted seedlings outdoors, after a few days you can see that the upper leaves have changed color - they have become completely white. If in adult plants the cause may be a disease, attack by pests or a lack of microelements in the soil, then in seedlings this happens for a completely different reason.

Tender plants transplanted into the ground experience stress. It manifests itself in a change in the color of the leaves from green to white, while the whiteness appears evenly, without spots or dots. After some time, these leaves may fall off.

Burns on tomato seedlings

Typically, such spots appear after the place of permanent residence has been changed. For example, the seedlings were taken outside and placed on the sunny side. Tomatoes should gradually get used to sunlight. Every day you need to take the tomatoes closer to sunlight, starting with exposure to the sun for 10 minutes a day. Every day you can gradually increase the interval, but you cannot place tomatoes under direct rays. The tomatoes should be positioned so that they remain slightly in the shade. The main thing is to constantly monitor the entire process to avoid burns, otherwise it is impossible to restore the burnt plant. The burn stops the normal development of the plant.

If, after all, the seedlings are burned and only a small part of the leaves are affected, then you can help the plant a little. You should spray the tomato seedlings with Epin solution. But this method is effective if the plant has burn spots and the leaves are not completely burned. Otherwise, it will no longer be possible to restore them. For fear of sunburn, many gardeners do not expose tomatoes to the sun, but it is not worth completely depriving the seedlings of daytime sun. Otherwise, the plants will grow up with poor immunity.

Watering is an important factor and can sometimes have a negative effect on the plant. Do not water seedlings in sunny weather. The remaining droplets on the leaves reflect sunlight, and it is similar to the effect of a magnifying glass. Thus the leaves are damaged. The best time for watering is always considered to be evening. The same goes for spraying. Sunburn occurs due to watering cold water on hot soil and steam is released. Such watering and evaporation can harm your plantings. The steam burns the leaves and they can literally cook. You should take care in advance about good ventilation in the room. Once overheated, tomatoes can no longer be treated.

Sunburn

It happens when seedlings cultivated indoors or in greenhouses looked richly green. But as soon as she was taken outside or planted in the garden, she suddenly began to turn pale. Pale spots spread shapelessly all over the foliage. Such lesions mainly occur on the upper leaves. All foliage may lose its color, and only the shoots of the plant will remain in their natural shade. These are real sunburns.

Remember! This happens if the seedlings are not hardened off enough or if the foliage for some reason was covered with drops of water.

Whitened tomato leaves look aesthetically unsightly, but this is not fatal to the plant itself if the damage is insignificant. As a rule, tomatoes return to normal, without any harm to the health of the bush. Their tomatoes only need to be fed with mineral fertilizers and growth stimulants.

If the seedling is completely discolored, then it is better to dispose of it. It can and will live, but most likely it will not bear fruit. Since it is the green mass of the plant that leads the process of photosynthesis, its disruption leads to slow development of the crop.

To avoid such damage, it is necessary to harden the seedlings for two weeks before planting in open ground. The first days, take them out only in the morning and evening for a few hours, then by the end of the second week you can leave them for the whole day. Plant seedlings either in the evening, when the sun is not so active or on a cloudy day.

Fungal diseases of tomato

Previous lesions have similarities and pockets of white spots are immediately visible. In the case of a fungal disease, the plant begins to get sick from the very root. This is due to the fact that the disease passes through the soil. The most affected plants, unfortunately, cannot be restored. You need to get rid of them so that the infection does not spread to other plantings and all the bushes do not disappear. Greenhouses and greenhouses create even more favorable conditions for fungal diseases.

Common types of fungal diseases

There are several types of fungal diseases

• Powdery mildew. It affects the leaves with white moss and light spots. For prevention, you should frequently ventilate the room to avoid a strong greenhouse effect. The leaves begin to dry out prematurely. For the treatment of such a disease, drugs such as “Zineba” and “Gaupsina” are suitable. A good solution would be to consult with a specialist in this field, since it is very difficult to fight this disease. During the rainy season, it is better to treat the soil with special means to avoid unpleasant situations.
• Septoria. It is also called “white spotting”. The disease usually affects the lower leaf area. Septoria causes dirty and white spots. The cause of septoria is hot weather. Especially if hot weather is accompanied by high humidity. Often not only the leaves are the source of the lesion, but also the stem. Severely affected leaves should be removed to avoid further spread of infection. Afterwards, the plant should be treated with phytosporin. The fungus that causes the damage hides in the soil for the winter. Therefore, in the fall you need to remove all excess grass and cultivate the soil. If you do not take any action, black spots appear on the white coating.
• Mosaic rot. The marsupial fungus is the causative agent of the disease. A white-gray coating appears on the lower part of the leaves, and yellow spots appear on the upper part. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to save the plant. It should be completely removed and the soil treated. It is important to maintain the correct temperature conditions, especially during the growing season.
• White rot. White rot develops in conditions where the air temperature is low and humidity is present. Lesions spread to plant stems and fruits. Later, the tissue softens and mucus forms. The tomato begins to wilt. A plant with such a lesion is very difficult to cure, and at the last stage it is not at all possible. To prevent the disease, you need to monitor the level of humidity and temperature in the place where tomatoes grow. It is not difficult to get rid of such a disease; the main thing is to notice it at the very beginning.
• Late blight. It appears as a white coating on the leaves. First the tomato bush wilts and then becomes soft. Many ways and means have been invented to fight. But it’s worth remembering that late blight adapts perfectly to the new composition. For this reason, it is worth using several means. If you need to remove the fruits, then it is definitely recommended to keep them in hot water for a couple of minutes. This way you can disinfect the fruits. This must be done, even if there is no damage to the fruit.
• Macrosporiasis. It also affects plants with round-shaped spots. The lower leaves are affected first, and over time the lesion spreads to the upper leaves.

Provoking factors

Why do white spots appear on leaves? A variety of reasons can contribute to this appearance, which will be discussed below. In most cases, light spots on the foliage of tomato seedlings lead to the death of the plant, so at the slightest manifestation it is worth taking appropriate safety measures.

Sunburn of foliage

The first reason why white and transparent spots may appear is sunburn. This provoking factor is not dangerous, and the plant can be rehabilitated. With such damage to foliage, there is confidence that other bushes will not be affected. It is recommended to accustom seedlings to sunlight gradually from the first days of emergence. Before planting in open ground, it is necessary to harden it and spend a short time in the sun, which helps the plant adapt to future growing conditions.

Tomatoes are a heat-loving crop. They can grow freely in open areas throughout the summer, provided that favorable conditions are created and proper care is provided. If the plant is prepared from the very beginning for such conditions, then sunburn is excluded. Many new gardeners believe that these measures are not necessary and do not carry them out; as a result, they end up with seedlings with white spots.

In this case, the culture can be saved if you use the drug “Epin”. It helps the plant get rid of stress and restore strength. It is recommended to carry out processing in the evening hours. If you decide to plant unhardened seedlings, then it is better to choose a place with partial shade or plant them in a greenhouse. At first, tomatoes can be covered with a special material that prevents burns.

Powdery mildew

In the case of fungal diseases, the plant can rarely be saved; this is only possible if the lesion was detected in a timely manner. Such a crop is removed from the garden bed and the area or greenhouse is completely disinfected. Any disease begins to affect the bush from the root, since fungi and other pathogenic microorganisms live in the upper layers of the soil.

With powdery mildew, light spots covered with white fluff are observed on seedlings. The development of fungal pathology can be provoked by increased humidity in the greenhouse or stagnation of water in the garden bed. Damaged foliage begins to dry quickly. It is difficult for inexperienced gardeners to identify powdery mildew, so it is better to consult a specialist who can accurately confirm the type of damage. In any case, it is recommended to carry out preventive measures, especially during periods of intense rain. To combat powdery mildew on seedlings, folk remedies or preparations are suitable - “Zineba”, “Gaupsina”.

Septoria

Another fungal disease that is accompanied by white spots on tomato seedlings. Most often, the affected areas are located at the bottom of the plant, on the lower leaves. The spotting is not only white, but also dirty. Its appearance can be provoked by increased air temperature and increased humidity levels.

Septoria can affect not only the foliage, but also the stem. At the first manifestation, the leaves must be immediately removed and the crop treated with Fitosporin. The fungus that causes this disease overwinters in the soil, so in the fall the area is treated and the remaining plant debris is removed.

Mosaic rot

The causative agent of the disease is marsupial fungus. At the first stage of the lesion, a white-gray coating is observed on the back of the leaf, and yellow spots can be seen on top. With this fungal pathology, it is not possible to save the crop; it is recommended to immediately remove it from the garden bed, burn it, and treat the area and healthy plants. To exclude mosaic rot, you must follow the recommendations for cultivation and care throughout the growing season.

White rot

A favorable environment for development is low air temperature and high humidity. Rot affects not only foliage, but also fruits and stems. The tissue gradually softens and becomes covered with mucus. The culture is fading, and it will not be possible to save it. It is possible to exclude the disease and eliminate it at the initial stage.

Late blight and macrosporiosis

Late blight is characterized by a white coating. As the disease progresses, the plant begins to wither and becomes soft. When fighting this lesion, you need to constantly use new drugs and means, since the fungus is able to adapt to different compositions. Fruits undergo heat treatment in any case, even in the absence of plaque.

Macrosporiasis is characterized by the presence of light spots that have a rounded shape. They appear first on the back side of the sheet, and then spread over the entire surface.

How to prevent the occurrence of diseases?

To prevent spotting on tomato seedlings, the following rules must be followed:

• Maintaining comfortable conditions in the greenhouse.
• Before placing the seedlings in the soil, they must be thoroughly treated with a disinfectant solution.
• Plants that are severely affected should be removed immediately.
• Enrich the soil with missing elements.
• You should worry about the safety of the crop in advance.

Only after establishing the exact causes should you begin to fight the disease.

Ways to fight

• Make sure that the tomatoes are not exposed to sunlight.
• Periodically replenish the soil with useful additives and substances, but do not overdo it with their application.
• Destroy the affected leaves.
• If necessary, you need to treat the cuts with garden varnish.

Preventing the appearance of white spots

To ensure that spots on tomato leaves never appear, it is enough to follow simple preventive measures. They will help protect tomatoes from both spotting caused by household factors and fungal diseases.

1. To ensure that the leaves of tomato seedlings always remain fresh and healthy, monitor the humidity level in the greenhouse and the balance of mineral fertilizers applied to the soil. Both a deficiency and an excess of certain elements can cause spotting of tomatoes. The same applies to humidity, the excess of which creates favorable conditions for fungus.
2. The seedlings should receive enough sunlight, but they should also be protected from direct rays, which can easily cause burns.
3. If the leaves of tomato seedlings suddenly turn white or red, but without plaque, temporarily limit watering and ensure good ventilation of the roots. This usually helps prevent the disease from developing.
4. To prevent white leaves from causing trouble, loosen the soil as often as possible and periodically inspect the plants for fungal infections, and also treat them with preventive medications.

To ensure that spots on tomato leaves never appear, it is enough to follow simple preventive measures

So, if the leaves of tomato seedlings turn white, this clearly indicates that not everything is fine with the plants

Therefore, it is important to start taking appropriate measures in time to save tomatoes, ensuring further abundant flowering and a good healthy harvest.

What are the diseases of tomato seedlings: photo, description, treatment

You can get a good harvest of tomatoes if you follow all the rules without exception, starting with planting seeds for seedlings. If the seedlings turn out to be weak or, worse, sick, then a generous tomato harvest is out of the question.

What are the main diseases that tomato seedlings suffer from? We have prepared a brief description with photographs of common diseases of tomato seedlings and simple and effective methods of treating them.

These diseases can be divided into several categories.

Ask and receive useful advice from professional gardeners and experienced summer residents.>>

Practical advice

We advise you to follow our advice to prevent the following spread of snow-white spots throughout the seedlings:

• if 1-2 leaves are damaged, they must be removed; if the trunk is damaged, then kill the plant;
• if you suspect the development of a fungal infection (the term means various types of interaction of foreign microorganisms with the human body),
  it is better to remove the planting. The disease can be cured very rarely, but there is a risk that it will spread throughout the seedlings. This will result in huge losses;
• choose the right variety, pay attention to persistent modifications, for example, such as “gardener’s dream”, “lord of the north”, “bibo”;
• exclude mechanical burns that weaken the culture.

Advice! Constantly disinfect the soil before planting seedlings. This way you will save yourself from almost all problems associated with diseases and pests.

Dark-fruited nightshade is picky about growing conditions. To get a good harvest, the gardener must often pay attention to the plant: water, feed, inspect for infections and pests - the crop has many opponents. Often tasks are associated with errors in care. Correcting the situation in this case is simple. The main thing is to reconsider your own approach and adjust it, taking into account the rules.

Fungal diseases

These diseases often occur due to improper care. Water the seedlings regularly, but moderately. Do not allow the soil in the container to flood.

If the sprouts are located too close to each other, this leads to poor air circulation between them, and a fungal disease occurs.

The room where tomatoes grow should be as comfortable as possible for the development of sprouts: light, warm, not damp.

— Late blight manifests itself by the appearance of dark spots on the leaves. Soon the affected leaves begin to wither and fall off. Immediately tear out such sprouts and burn them. Treat the remaining sprouts with Zaslon. After two weeks, the seedlings will have to be treated again, but with the Barrier preparation.

To fully ensure that late blight does not occur on the tomatoes again, treat them again with a garlic-manganese solution. Dissolve 1 gram in a bucket of water. manganese and add garlic juice obtained from squeezing a glass of garlic cloves.

Blackleg attacks the stems of tomato seedlings. They become thin, the sprout does not receive life-giving moisture from the soil and soon dies. Remove diseased plants from the cup.

To avoid this disease, some gardeners add a little sifted wood ash and copper sulfate to the soil before planting seeds.

— White spotting is caused by fungal spores. White spotting initially manifests itself by the appearance of black dots on the lower leaves of the sprouts. Without taking immediate action, the disease quickly spreads throughout the plant.

Later the leaves turn black and fall off. If the disease is detected early, the seedlings can be completely saved by treating them with a solution of copper sulfate. Those sprouts that could not be saved should be pulled out and burned.

— Fusarium wilt is caused by a soil fungus. It attacks the roots of plants and causes them to wilt.

If you cut the stem of an affected plant, you will see some brown tufts. This is a manifestation of Fusarium wilt. The disease occurs from insufficient lighting in the room where tomatoes are grown, or from improper care of them.

Why did the leaves start to turn yellow?

Having observed this situation, experienced biologists have identified several factors. It’s not difficult to eliminate them, the main thing is to notice the problem in tomato seedlings as quickly as possible. We are talking about the following manifestations.

Partial yellowing of several lower leaves.

This usually happens when transplanting tomatoes from small pots into boxes or soil. It's all about the root system. The plant, adapting to the new environment, increases its growth rate. New roots grow, but the leaves simply do not have time. To avoid yellowing on the first leaves, it is necessary to replant the plants in good soil in time.

Yellow leaves with a blue tint.

This indicates that the plants have experienced a temperature change. Perhaps the tomato was damaged by frost - this is a common mistake of those who are in a hurry to plant seedlings in a greenhouse or greenhouse as quickly as possible. The color of the leaves changes again due to the root system, because everything in plants is interconnected. The normal food chain has been disrupted. Subsequently, the rate of growth and development of fruits changes.

Sharp yellowing of the lower leaves of tomatoes.

There may be two reasons for this: the roots are crowded or the root system was damaged during loosening. There is nothing to worry about, the plants need to be created in comfortable conditions and given time to restore the root system.

Dry soil.

The primitive lack of watering also manifests itself in the yellowness of the leaves. The movement of nutrients should occur from the lowest root. To achieve this effect, you need to water very abundantly, but as rarely as possible. Light spraying will not have an effect specifically for tomatoes.

Micronutrient deficiency.

Depending on where the spots or spots appear, a deficiency of certain elements or minerals can be identified. Nitrogen deficiency causes medium-sized yellow spots throughout the tomato plant. Copper deficiency is expressed by the plant turning pale from the very bottom, but without specific spots. A lack of sulfur leads to yellowing and hardening of the leaves - it is easy to compare a healthy leaf and a hardened one by touch. Manganese deficiency affects the plant with sharp yellowing and rapid death. If only the top turns yellow and no spots appear, then there is definitely not enough phosphorus. There may also be an excess of it, expressed in the yellowness of the entire leaf area.

Diseases.

More precisely, a fungal disease called fusarium. Externally, the disease is expressed by the yellowness of the leaves and their lethargy. It is very easy to identify: if watering is carried out according to the schedule, and the plants are in a clearly unhealthy state, corresponding to the symptoms of the disease, then this is fusarium. In the treatment, “Fitosporin” is used, which is used to treat the seedling up to 4 times every two weeks. With Fusarium wilt, the fungus attacks the roots of tomatoes very unexpectedly. The spores remain in the soil for a long time, and only manifest themselves when there is excess heat and moisture. Moreover, the plant externally shows the opposite signs: it looks like it is drying up, and has not been watered for several days. If the roots of tomatoes “catch” the infection, then this will definitely affect the yield. Sometimes the fungus is carried by untreated seeds. How does a fungal disease begin to manifest itself? First, the root system is disrupted, and then everything goes up the nutritional chain to the top. Peak of the disease - the plant does not absorb minerals. Tomato fruits on diseased stems are suspiciously small.

Rotten

Rotting of tomato sprouts occurs from too low ambient temperatures or from excessive watering. The first sign of the disease is a change in the color of the leaves of the seedlings. Later, mucous spots with a fungal coating appear on them.

As soon as you notice a change in the color of the leaves, immediately reduce watering and bring the air temperature in the room back to normal. Spray the tomato seedlings with a solution of copper oxychloride, but first pick off all the affected leaves. After two days, treat the tomatoes with a two percent solution of trichodermin.

NOTE: Steaming the soil before sowing seeds can prevent the development of white rot.

— Cladosporiosis most often occurs in the first days after planting seedlings in open ground. Cladosporiosis begins with the lower leaves, yellow spots appear on their front side, and a coating forms on the back. A little later, the leaves curl into tubes, bend, wither, and crumble.

Often the disease affects tomatoes at the flowering stage. The cause of the disease is too high ambient temperature with high air humidity. Greenhouse tomatoes suffer from this disease more often than ground tomatoes.

Plants can be saved if you tear off the affected leaves in time and treat them with a one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture or ready-made “Barrier” or “Barrier” products.

- Dry rot, or Alternaria - with this disease, brown spots form on the lower surface of the leaves.

Gradually they grow and cover the entire surface of the leaves. As a result, they fall off, and the disease begins its destructive spread along the tomato stems. If dry rot is detected early, seedlings can be saved using the fungicidal preparations Ditan, Acrobat or Quadris.

— Fomoz, or brown rot, can appear after fruit set. First, a brown spot appears on the stalk, then it begins to increase in size, and the fruit rots from the inside.

Phoma occurs from excess nitrogen in the soil and high air humidity. To save the tomato plantation, pick and destroy all affected fruits, and treat the plantation with Zaslon, Fundazol, Oksikhom or Bordeaux mixture.

— Powdery mildew often affects tomatoes. It is caused by marsupial fungi, the spores of which live in the soil.

Usually, powdery mildew affects tomatoes in the first days after planting seedlings in the ground. The initial signs of the disease are a white coating on the leaves. Without taking rescue measures, plants will inevitably die. The products “Quadris”, “Topaz” and “Strobi” can save the crops. They can also be used to prevent powdery mildew.

Leaves of tomatoes turn white in the garden and in the greenhouse

The main reasons for changes in leaf color in tomatoes after planting them in the ground in a permanent place:

• severe stress;
• sunburn;
• pathogenic microorganisms;
• pests;
• disturbances in diet (lack or excess of certain elements);
• burns from fertilizing;
• soil problems.

Plants receive stress when planted from home conditions into shelters or ridges. Changes in temperature, precipitation, wind, bright sunshine in a greenhouse - all these factors affect tomatoes and can lead to whitening of the leaves.

White spots occur when the soil in which tomatoes grow is highly salinized. They can be provoked by attacks by insect pests and diseases:

• white rot;
• brown spotting;
• powdery mildew;
• septoria.

A whitish border on leaf blades may be due to late blight. In each case, it is necessary to understand the possible causes and promptly take action.

Viral diseases

Often seedlings are exposed to such diseases due to infected seeds. No matter how beautiful the seeds look, they still need to be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate before planting.

The second cause of viral diseases is a lack of nutrients in the soil. For this reason, the sprouts turn out weak and cannot resist even the weakest infection.

What are the types of viral diseases of seedlings and how to treat them?

— The mosaic affects tomatoes in the first days after planting seedlings in the ground.

Initially, the color of the leaves changes, then they curl and fall off. Most often, the virus is transferred to seedlings along with seeds that the gardener was too lazy to disinfect. Tear up sprouts infected with the mosaic virus by the roots and burn them. Disinfect the soil under them with a weak solution of manganese and powder with wood ash. For prevention, spray healthy plants with a five percent urea solution or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

— Aspermia, or seedlessness, is manifested by very slow growth of seedlings.

On mature plants there are no seeds in the twisted fruits, the leaves are too small. Unfortunately, there is no medicine to treat aspermia yet.

- Streak - brown streaks appear on the leaves.

Later, ulcerative inflammations form in their place. This causes tomato seedlings to become brittle and the top leaves begin to fall off. There is also no cure for this disease, so the affected plants are simply destroyed.

Fading foliage

Tomato leaves may turn completely pale, white spots or dots may appear on them, the entire bush or part of it may acquire this shade. How to feed tomatoes to prevent this from happening, how to treat the foliage?

First of all, you need to carefully examine the plant and collect important information. Based on the symptoms shown, it will be possible to determine what happened to the tomato and what to do to solve the problem.

In both cases, the crop can be saved.

Bacterial diseases

These diseases can also occur as a result of poor soil and improper care of seedlings. Poor quality seed material can also cause bacterial infection.

— Brown leaf spotting can occur due to excessive watering or too damp ambient air.

Infection is manifested by the appearance of brown spots on the upper surface of the leaves. A coating appears on the lower surface, which soon acquires a reddish tint. There is no cure for this bacterial disease. Sick specimens are destroyed, and the ground under them is disinfected. The remaining plants are treated against infection with a one percent solution of copper sulfate.

— Black spot bacteria infect seedlings through the soil or seeds.

The disease develops rapidly when the ambient temperature exceeds 25 degrees, while the air humidity is high. Interestingly, a subsequent decrease in temperature does not have a negative effect on the bacteria; the disease only progresses. Bacteria die only at a temperature of 56 degrees.

Black bacterial spot is manifested by the appearance of black spots bordered by a yellow stripe on the leaves. Over time, black stripes appear on the stems of tomatoes. As a result, the sprouts quickly die.

There is no cure for this disease. Destroy the affected sprouts and treat the rest with Hom.

— Stolbur, or phytoplasmosis. The carriers are insects.

Stolbur manifests itself as lilac or violet spots that appear on the leaves and stems of seedlings. Fortunately, this disease can be treated with the drugs Confidor or Aktara. These funds can also be used to prevent the disease. Spray the seedlings for the first time a month after sowing the seeds, and the second time before planting in the soil.

— Bacterial canker is fatal to seedlings and cannot be treated. It manifests itself by the appearance of ulcerative lesions on the leaves and stems. Sick seedlings should be immediately destroyed and the entire soil in the container replaced.

To prevent bacterial cancer, an aqueous solution of formaldehyde prepared in a ratio of 1:300 is used.

— Bacterial mottling can occur due to mechanical damage to the leaves or stems of seedlings.

The symptom of the disease is the appearance of dark yellow spots on the leaves. Affected leaves curl into tubes and fall off. To save the plantings, tear off all affected parts of the seedlings and treat them with a weak solution of copper sulfate.

What types of spotting are there?

Agronomists distinguish 4 types of spots, photos of which can be found on specialized websites. Depending on the type of spots, treatment for the plant is selected, as well as preventive measures.

What types of spots are there?

1. Dry. They arise as a result of damage to the crop by a disease such as Alternaria. This pathology is quite common and is most often observed in plants growing in greenhouses. Poor quality planting material can provoke damage. A fungal infection affects the lower foliage of the tomato, then begins to spread throughout the plant. As a result, on the future harvest you can notice brown depressed spots that are located around the stalk. The diameter of the affected area reaches up to 0.8 cm, which also occurs on the petiole with a stalk. If measures are not taken to combat the disease, this will lead to complete loss of the crop.
2. White. This type of spotting occurs as a result of damage to tomato seedlings by septoria. Most often observed in crops growing in open ground. A sign of damage is small light spots with dark gray edges. If you do not provide timely assistance to the plant, it begins to lose foliage and stops growing and developing. As a result, there is a complete loss of yield.
3. Brown. This spotting occurs as a result of the development of cladosporiosis, which is characterized by the appearance of rusty spots on tomatoes on the back of the leaf. Most often observed on crops grown indoors. Upon careful examination, you will notice that the foliage is white on top. If treatment for this disease is not started, it will cause the death of the seedlings.
4. Black. It is observed in plants that are affected by black bacterial spot. The disease begins to develop with the appearance of small light spots on the foliage, the diameter of which is no more than 0.2 cm. The cotyledon leaves begin to twist, turn yellow and fall off. As the disease progresses, the spots increase and black dots appear that completely cover the crop. A crust appears on the bushes, which prevents the penetration of nutrients, causing the death of the bush and fruits.

Non-communicable diseases

Such diseases arise from improper feeding of seedlings. As a result of errors, sprouts receive an excess of some useful substances and a deficiency of others. Weakening of plants leads to diseases.

More often, such diseases occur from a lack of nitrogen, copper, calcium, potassium phosphorus or other microelements in the soil. However, if feeding the seedlings is done strictly according to the instructions, then there cannot be any imbalance in the content of nutrients in the soil.

• With insufficient nitrogen, the leaves of the seedlings become paler. The situation can be corrected using a urea solution.
• Due to a lack of phosphorus, dead areas appear on tomato leaves, and the leaves themselves acquire a purple tint. In this case, brown dots form on the lower surface of the leaves. Superphosphate and ammonium sulfate allow you to replenish phosphorus in the soil.
• When there is a small amount of copper in the soil, the leaves first bend, then curl and change color to light gray. You can normalize the copper content using a three percent solution of copper sulfate.
• Lack of calcium in the soil leads to the death of the lower leaves. The upper leaves remain completely healthy. The soil needs to be fertilized with a solution of calcium nitrate.
• With a lack of iron, the leaves become discolored and small spots appear on them. It is necessary to immediately add a 0.25% solution of iron sulfate to the soil.
• If you notice that the leaves of the tomatoes have begun to dry out along the contour, this means that you need to enrich the soil with potassium. This is best done using an infusion of wood ash.
• Due to a lack of sulfur in the soil, the leaves of the seedlings turn pale pink. The problem can be eliminated using a three percent solution of magnesium sulfate.

Problems when growing tomato seedlings

Main problems:

• seedlings stretch;
• plants dry out;
• weak tomatoes with small leaves;
• yellow leaves with green veins.

With proper care, there are no problems with tomatoes.

Difficulties in growing tomato seedlings are much more common than diseases.

The seedlings are stretched

In indoor conditions, tomatoes always stretch out due to lack of light. Even with backlighting, but cloudy weather, the plants still stretch, although not as much. For normal development of seedlings, they need the sun, which nothing can replace. To enhance the illumination of the tomatoes, place foil, reflective film or a mirror behind them.

Simultaneously with the increase in illumination, very moderate and infrequent watering is carried out. Plants on the windowsill are placed freely, since in cramped conditions tomatoes stretch upward and, at the same time, release substances that inhibit the growth of competitors. In such conditions, seedlings grow frail and elongated.

Plants wither

If the tomatoes begin to dry out, but look healthy, then the reason is a lack of moisture. They haven't been watered for a very long time. It is usually recommended to water the seedlings once a week, but it must be based on the growing conditions. If plants are kept in a sunny window at high temperatures, water more often. In cloudy weather and cool air, watering is reduced to a minimum.

The lower leaves of tomatoes always dry out as they grow. If only the lower leaves of plants dry out, but otherwise they look healthy and of normal color, then there is no need to worry - this is a natural process.

Seedlings are weak with small leaves

If tomatoes are healthy and grow in good conditions, then weak plants always indicate a lack of nitrogen in the soil. The plants are frail, light green in color with a yellowish tint.

You can use fertilizers for indoor plants, but you should never feed tomatoes with nitrogen alone. Firstly, it accumulates in the limited space of the container, and the plants begin to grow very actively, stretch out and weaken. Secondly, for such a small volume of soil it is difficult to choose the optimal dose.

Tomatoes can also be weak if they are placed too close to the window. They should be spaced more freely so that they do not oppress each other.

Yellowing of leaves

Leaves can turn yellow for several reasons.

Sunburn. The plant itself takes on a light green tint. White spots appear on the leaves, the tissue in the burned area dries out and begins to crumble. If the burn is small, the fabric dries out and the sheet becomes deformed.

To prevent tomatoes from burning, shade them from the bright spring sun.

Lack of microelements. It is more common in seedlings grown on purchased soils that have a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Tomatoes need a slightly acidic soil reaction (pH 5-6); if it is higher, then the plants do not absorb microelements. Iron deficiency often occurs at home. The leaves become light green in color, but the veins remain dark green. With a pronounced iron deficiency, the leaf becomes yellow with green veins, but looks healthy, elastic, and does not deform.

To eliminate the causes of yellowing, water the soil with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. It simultaneously deoxidizes the soil and disinfects it. If this was not enough, then fertilize with microfertilizer.

With proper care of tomato seedlings, usually no problems or diseases arise.

1. Causes of yellowing leaves in tomato seedlings
2. How to feed tomato seedlings
3. Rules for planting tomato seedlings in a greenhouse and open ground

Preventive measures

• Make it a rule to never buy seeds from random sellers.
• Before planting, disinfect all seeds with solutions of manganese or copper sulfate. Other ready-to-use preparations are also sold for these purposes.
• If you prefer to use store-bought soil for seedlings, make sure that the packaging is intact. If you prepare the soil mixture yourself, then do it strictly according to the rules. Mix the soil mixture thoroughly, be sure to sift and disinfect. This can be done by calcining the soil in the oven at a temperature of 100 degrees. A good disinfectant is a hot solution of potassium permanganate.
• Before planting seeds, be sure to disinfect the seed and soil in the container.
• Use only zoned seed varieties for growing seedlings.
• In the room where containers with seedlings are located, maintain optimal temperature and humidity.
• If a disease is detected, immediately take the cup with the sprout away from the rest of the seedlings.
• Do not neglect preventive measures to protect tomatoes from diseases.
• Never plant seedlings in the ground in the same place twice in a row.

Spot control

What to do if spots appear? The fight against white spots on tomatoes is a mandatory measure, the exclusion of which will lead to loss of harvest. In any case, it is necessary to remove the crop from the garden bed, burn it and disinfect the soil, both in the fall and in the spring. There is no need to think that the disease will go away on its own and affect only one bush; this does not happen; if one plant begins to die, then others will begin to wither.

In most cases, treatment is required for crops suffering from fungal and other diseases. Folk remedies and drugs can be used in the fight. The latter are considered much more effective, especially in advanced situations.

Measures to combat diseases that cause white spots

How to treat tomato seedlings against pests?

Pests can destroy tomato sprouts, and insects settle on young greenery or at the roots.

Mole crickets, nematodes, and wireworms live in the soil. Tomato seedlings can harbor aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites. There are pest control methods proven by gardeners. Use insecticides - Aktara", "Aktellik", "Inta-Vir" and others, which will be recommended to you in the garden departments.

If the entire leaf blade has turned white

In some cases, the entire leaf turns white. The bush changes color before the eyes of the amazed owner, who is already ready to harvest, not suspecting that the plant is too pampered and cannot be left in the sun. How can this happen? The green color of the leaves depends on the amount of chlorophyll in them.

The amount of chlorophyll, in turn, depends on the genetic program of the species. Due to a glitch in this program, the leaves turned white, and then they will fade, one after another.

Genetic variability in the functional manifestations of a plant explains the fact that through constant repetition and reproduction, a certain shade of foliage is fixed. In oak it is dark green. Depending on environmental conditions, the genetic code can change, albeit after many years.

Therefore, this fact may be the main reason why spots appear on white tomato seedlings. The genetic program of cultivated species is constantly changing, it is not aggressive to special adjustments made and can fail.

Chlorophyll is involved in photosynthesis and protects leaves and cells from exposure to part of the solar spectrum. This is a plant's self-defense tool. When tomatoes produce insufficient chlorophyll, the leaves deteriorate in the sun and wither.

Tomato seedlings that exhibit such a reaction to sunlight are, simply put, not suitable for breeding. You can get a new variety from it.

Chlorophyll, if the plant shows a tendency to sunburn, was initially produced. The spots might never appear, but in the current environment the reserves do not have time to be replenished. All tomatoes are prone to such reactions. They need care, attention, protection, although to varying degrees. In any case, the bush can produce a good harvest.

Reasons for appearance

Having noticed white spots on tomato leaves, any gardener must urgently take measures to eliminate this phenomenon. First of all, it is necessary to identify the causes. They can be divided into two groups, and after making a “diagnosis”, treatment can be carried out.

Why did the spots appear:

1. Sun or heat burn.
2. Fungal diseases.

In the first case, the location of the spots is the upper tiers of leaves. Diseases most often initially affect the lower parts of the plant, spreading higher over time. More details about this, as well as methods for treating and preventing such ailments are described below.

It may also be useful for you to learn about how tall tomatoes are grown in open ground.

In the video - why white spots appear on the leaves of seedlings:

Powdery mildew

This disease first affects the leaves of the plant - they become stained, wither and fall off.

New leaf plates may grow in place of dormant buds, but they will no longer become full-fledged.

Powdery mildew is caused by fungal spores of the following species: Leveilluia taurica and Oidiopsis sicula.

Reasons for appearance

The fungus appears for several reasons:

• increased air humidity (more than 75%) at high temperatures (20 degrees and above);
• high levels of nitrogen content in the soil;
• densely planted seedlings;
• non-compliance with soil moisture regime.

The fungus can also be transmitted from an affected plant to a healthy one.

This happens in the following ways:

1. by air;
2. through water (splashes of water that break off when watering infected seedlings);
3. the gardener himself transmits the fungus by touching a diseased sprout and then touching a healthy one;
4. through parasitic insects.

Signs

Powdery mildew begins to attack the plant from the outside of the leaves. First, a slight pigmentation of small white dots appears (sometimes with a green or yellow tint). Gradually, the spots become larger and cover the entire surface of the leaf. As the disease progresses, the spots become whiter and denser - in the overall picture, the bush looks as if it had been doused with lime.

If you look closely, you can see that the pigmentation is covered with a tiny coating - this is the mycelium of the fungus.

Sometimes gardeners confuse powdery mildew with white spot. It is worth noting that the second disease develops from the inside of the leaf; first discolored and then reddish spots appear on its surface.

How does it develop and why is it dangerous?

Powdery mildew develops very quickly. At first, the fungus affects only small areas of the leaf blades. If no action is taken, the disease will spread to all leaves and cause them to fall off. However, often the affected leaves do not fall off. This is explained by the fact that powdery mildew lives on the plant as long as it shows at least some signs of life.

The danger is that the leaf blades of the seedlings begin to wither, turn yellow and may fall off. New leaves can grow in place of fallen leaves, but they often grow wrinkled and underdeveloped.

White plaque greatly affects photosynthesis, slowing down this process. If you do not start fighting powdery mildew, the seedlings will die.

Traditional methods

Such methods are most suitable for treating the disease in the early stages of its development. The most effective means:

• A solution of soda and soap. Method of preparation: dilute 50 g of soda and the same amount of laundry soap in 10 liters of warm water. Spray the seedlings with the prepared solution 2 times a week until the disease completely disappears. Try to get on both sides of the leaves. The plaque formed on the leaves of tomatoes will prevent the fungus from developing further.
• Serum treatment. It is diluted with water (1 liter of whey per 10 liters of water). The product is sprayed on seedlings 3-4 times with a break of 2-3 days. After treatment, a film will appear on the leaves, which will not allow the fungus to breathe, thereby leading to its death.
• Infusion of wood ash. Add 1 kg of ash to 10 liters of hot water. Leave to infuse for 7 days. After this, pour the solution into another container so that the ash remains in the first. The resulting solution is sprayed on tomatoes every other day until the fungus disappears.

Chemicals

Powdery mildew is killed by fungicides. Products must be prepared according to instructions.

During processing, it is also important to observe safety measures: wear protective clothing and, if possible, ventilate the room.

It is recommended to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes.

Effective drugs:

1. "Topaz".
   Dilute 2 ml per 10 liters of water, stir thoroughly. Treat the plant every two days. The treatment is carried out until the fungus is completely destroyed. The cost of the product is 40-50 rubles.
2. "Tiovit Jet".
   For 10 liters of water you need to take 20-30 g of the drug. Seedlings are treated 5-6 times in 2 months. It is better to start spraying in advance, as this product is an excellent prevention of the development of powdery mildew. Price - 50-60 rubles.

Biological drugs

There are many different biological drugs available on the market. However, the most effective of them are:

• "Epin."
• "Immunocytophyte".
• "Fuzaksin".
• "Monofilin".
• "Baktofit".
• "Gumat".

These products help fight fungus not only in tomatoes, but also in other crops. The drugs are suitable for both the prevention of the disease and its treatment.

Other control methods

If you notice white spots on the leaf blades, you must definitely change the soil. This is explained by the fact that fungal diseases can live in the soil for a long time.

Infected plants must be disposed of immediately to prevent the spread of the fungus.

How to treat leaf burns

The appearance of such spots was necessarily preceded by changes in the usual regime.
Usually this means taking the seedlings outside or transplanting them to a new location. To eliminate the risk of such manifestations, it is advisable to accustom the seedlings to sunlight gradually, using local darkening and regular watering. This link will tell you about the treatment of brown spots on grape leaves.

Watering, by the way, can also serve as a negative factor. If you water tomatoes in hot weather, every drop that falls on the leaves of the plant becomes a miniature lens, literally burning a hole in the shell. That is why it is best to water in the evening, treating exclusively the root area. The same rule can be extended to spraying, which must be carried out in dry weather and in the evening, so as not to burn the leaves and stem of the plant being treated.

You can fight sunburn only by strengthening the plant’s defenses. If there is significant damage, there is no point in nurturing such seedlings, because such a situation will adversely affect productivity.

Video shows how to treat leaf burns:

In addition to the sun, the plant can also suffer from heat stroke. For example, if you use too cold water when watering. The soil heats up during the day and forms steam when moisture enters. It burns the leaves and can also cause the stem of the plant to literally cook.

The second possible option: increasing the temperature in the greenhouse. That is why it is necessary to take care of good ventilation in advance, otherwise overheating of the plants cannot be avoided. Here, too, it is best to take reasonable measures before such a problem arises, because such conditions cannot be treated.

What tomatoes are resistant to late blight and diseases, what they are called and look like, can be seen in this article.

It will also be interesting to know whether it is necessary to soak tomato seeds before planting, and how this procedure is carried out.

But how to grow tomato seedlings in an apartment, and what conditions must be met, is indicated in the article at the link: //gidfermer.com/sadovodstvo/ovoshhevodstvo/kak-vyrastit-rassadu-pomidor-v-domashnix-usloviyax.html

But how to grow cucumber and tomato seedlings, and what you should pay attention to, is described in great detail in the article at the link.

High temperature and excess moisture

Very often, under the influence of direct sunlight and high temperatures, tomato leaves begin to curl. In this way, tomatoes try to protect themselves from moisture loss. In the evening, the leaves bloom again to replenish their moisture reserves. To protect the plants, a canopy is built over them during sunny hours. In such a situation, many summer residents usually make the grave mistake of starting to water the tomatoes in the midst of the heat. This is not recommended, especially if you water by rain. With this method of watering, the water remaining on the leaves works in the sun like a magnifying glass, gradually burning out the foliage.

An excess of moisture, as well as a deficiency, can harm plantings and this can manifest itself in white stains on seedlings. This usually happens during a rainy period of summer. During heavy rains, if the soil is clayey, then water begins to accumulate near the rhizomes, cutting off the access of oxygen to them. Without receiving air, the plant begins to wither and dry out over time. To prevent this situation, when planting tomatoes, add loose soil to the soil so that water is absorbed faster. It serves as a kind of drainage system. In the bed itself, small furrows are made from the stem to the side for unimpeded drainage of water.

About the rules and problems of growing outdoors

To obtain a harvest, you must follow the following rules:

• organize and maintain the most comfortable conditions for tomatoes in the greenhouse (temperature - +25°C, humidity - no more than 70%);
• 2 weeks before transferring tomato seedlings into the soil, treat it with chemical compounds;
• prevent mechanical damage to the plant and fruits;
• remove diseased plants from the garden bed and burn them;
• disinfect the internal elements of the greenhouse and the ground;
• add missing microelements to the soil;
• wisely choose tomato varieties that can resist infectious diseases and mold;
• begin carrying out preventive measures against diseases at the stage of seed preparation.

The problem - a white coating on tomatoes - is also relevant for open ground. That is why the plant is kept in the shade for the first 14 days and only then transferred to the soil.

But the reasons are still the same: sunburn, fungal and infectious diseases (for example, septoria), lack of nutrients in the soil.

And the methods of struggle are, in general, the same:

• Avoid direct sunlight on unprepared plants;
• destroy the affected plants along with their roots by burning;
• Taking into account the characteristics of the soil, periodically add nutritional supplements containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, while observing the measure, because an excess is also fraught with trouble.

Following these simple rules will allow you to get rid of such a disease as white spot of tomatoes and get a rich harvest of tasty and juicy fruits.

What to do

To get a good tomato harvest, the plants need constant care. If the disease develops, it is necessary to urgently take action and treat the seedlings with special preparations.

To get rid of powdery mildew, you should feed the plants with potassium and phosphorus, while it is better not to apply nitrogenous fertilizers, since their excess reduces the plant’s immunity. Fungicides “Fundazol” or “Fundazim” can be used against powdery mildew. During the flowering period, the plant is treated with “Pseudobacterin”.

In addition to these drugs, you can use folk remedies. To do this, take whey, aged for 2 days, dilute it with water in a ratio of 1 to 9 and treat the diseased plants.

Many gardeners often encounter late blight; not only tomatoes, but also potatoes are susceptible to this disease.

• brownish-brown spots with a whitish edging appear on the leaves, which increase very quickly;
• a light coating resembling a cobweb appears on the bottom of the leaf;
• leaves turn yellow, curl and dry out;
• the stems become dry and brittle.

The disease can spread very quickly, as it is transmitted from one bush to another in a short time. It is necessary to pull out the affected bushes so that the disease does not spread to healthy plants. If large areas are affected by late blight, it is worth spraying the plants with special preparations diluted with water. To combat late blight, boric acid, Fitosporin, and Gamair are used.

The seedlings turned white

White coating on the leaves of tomato seedlings usually indicates that the plant has received sunburn. This happens when seedlings for hardening are transferred to areas completely exposed to the sun.

Of course, tomatoes must be “friends” with the sun, without this they will not grow. With the help of “sunbathing”, the production of ascorbic acid and chlorophyll is activated, which has a beneficial effect on adaptive qualities.

But direct sunlight, especially when the plant is not yet prepared for it, is very dangerous. As a result, burns appear that form light spots on the leaves. The disease can cover all leaves on both sides or affect only the upper tier and partially.

Therefore, it is necessary and important to accustom tomato seedlings to ultraviolet radiation, and it is better to do this from the very first days. However, you must proceed very carefully. After all, it is no longer possible to help a plant that has been burnt by the sun - it simply dies. And even partial damage to leaves on tomato seedlings entails negative consequences. At best, the plant survives and even develops, but very slowly.

The plant should not be placed in the sun immediately or for a long time. You need to start by placing the seedlings on the balcony for 3 hours in the morning and evening, gradually increasing the time. The frames must be opened and the plants placed in such a way that the sun's rays do not fall on them, for which the windows are shaded with curtains.

Before planting tomato seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground, you need to place them under a tree or in another dark place for a week.