Fusarium Wilt
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When it strikes
About
Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) is a soil-borne fungus that plugs the water-conducting tissue of tomatoes, melons, bananas and many crops, thriving in warm soils and persisting for years.
Symptoms
Yellowing and wilting often on one side of the plant or one branch, progressing upward; brown discoloration inside the lower stem when cut; eventual collapse despite moist soil.
Organic Treatment
There is no cure once infected; remove and destroy affected plants. Solarise soil, add compost to boost suppressive microbes, and graft onto resistant rootstock.
Chemical Treatment
No effective curative fungicide; rely on resistant varieties and soil fumigation in commercial settings.
Prevention
Plant resistant cultivars (look for the F code on tomatoes), rotate crops, maintain near-neutral pH, and avoid moving infested soil.