What causes tomato stem rot? A detailed guide to prevention and control methods
Tomatoes are a common fruit vegetable for us, and their sweet-and-sour taste is loved by many people. As market demand for them grows, their planting area has been increasing year by year. Many people inevitably run into a lot of problems when growing them, and among these, many growers suffer greatly from tomato stem rot. So what is going on here? And how should it be prevented and controlled? Let's take a look together with Qinnong Network at the causes of tomato stem rot and its prevention and control methods.
Cause one: improper watering and high soil moisture
Although tomatoes need a large amount of water during growth, each watering should not be excessive; keeping the soil moist is enough. Overwatering leads to water accumulation, which causes the ground temperature to be too low and the soil permeability to be poor, thereby causing root rot and stem rot.
Prevention and control methods: When planting, choose loose soil with good drainage. Tomatoes have different water requirements at each growth stage, so watering should be done scientifically. You can water frequently, but each watering should not be excessive. If you water too much or the soil moisture is relatively high, you can increase the duration of light exposure for the tomatoes and use the transpiration of the leaves to evaporate the excess water.
Cause two: low temperature
The optimal temperature for tomato planting and growth is 20-30 degrees. When the temperature is below 13 degrees, its growth slows down. Being below 13 degrees for a long time leads to poor growth and development, and below 6 degrees, the plant is damaged by freezing injury, leading to stem rot.
Prevention and control methods: This phenomenon mainly occurs in cold northern regions and rarely occurs in southern regions. If the temperature is too low, greenhouse technology can be used to continue raising the temperature and keeping it warm, and keeping the temperature above 15 degrees is enough.
Cause three: large temperature difference between day and night
The suitable temperature for tomato growth during the day is between 25-28 degrees, and at night between 16-20 degrees. When the temperature difference between day and night is relatively large, it damages the roots, causing the plant to wilt and develop stem rot.
Prevention and control methods: This situation mainly occurs in southern regions in late spring and early summer, when daytime temperatures are high and nighttime temperatures are low, which easily causes problems for the plants. If the daytime temperature is too high, shading can be used, and at night artificial heating can be used or the plants can be grown in a greenhouse.
Cause four: diseases
If the seeds and soil are not disinfected before planting, or if there is long-term continuous cropping, the pathogens in the soil multiply. These pathogens easily cause tomato diseases such as bacterial wilt and fusarium wilt, and these diseases can all lead to stem rot in the plants.
Prevention and control methods: Disinfect the seeds and soil before planting. If diseased plants are found, pull them out and burn them promptly, and spread quicklime or plant ash on the soil to disinfect and sterilize it, and apply pesticides for treatment.
The above is Qinnong Network's introduction to the causes of tomato stem rot and its prevention and control methods. We believe everyone now has some understanding of the causes of tomato stem rot, and Qinnong Network has also brought you the related prevention and control methods. We hope this can help you.