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Tomato fruit issue

KevinMKevinM Posts: 22
in Problem solving

Hi

First post here. I have a greenhouse and generally all is going well. Tomatoes of different varieties with plenty of fruit. However one type - an italian pomodorino sort - has these patches of greyish/brown colour, which are soft to push on compared to the green and they get bigger and worse. Seems a bit like blossom end rot, but not on the end as can be seen. The sample shown is about two inches across - smaller fruit seem ok but this has now appeared on two or three toms. Any ideas what it could be/how to treat it? Leaves appear ok, nothing obviously wrong otherwise with the plant. Thanks

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  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Hi Kevin, that does seem odd given there are no other symptoms.  All I can think of is that it's a viral infection of some type and could be that the seeds themselves were infected.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,797

    That looks like a blight to me - are you sure there are no marks on the leaves or stems?

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • John HardingJohn Harding Posts: 497

    I've had similar with one of my 'Country Taste' tomato plants: just a few on one plant which I've picked off and discarded. All other fruits on the same & adjacent plants seem to be fine. I have 3 varieties in my greenhouse. Red Alert doing very well indeed; Country Taste also doing well except for one or two mentioned, and Apero. The Apero have plenty of foliage but not many fruits. I have 3 plants of each variety but the Red Alert seem to be intent on growing tomatoes for England. (Yes I know FG, but yours are growing tomtoes for Scotland!image).

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391

    Seeds can be infected with blight, so that is a possibility.

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,797

    I had blight on my Marmandes last year, but the Red Alerts which were growing nearby (both growing outside) fruited like there was no tomorrow in the most apalling cold and wet conditions and showed no sign of blight.  

    They're a very reliable variety image

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    Kevin, can you post a photo of the stems and foliage? If fruit is showing signs of infection, whether fungal, bacterial or viral, it should already be showing on the stems or leaves.

    Where did you get the seeds? Bob is right, blight can survive in seeds, but the fermentation stage in the seed-saving process, carried out properly, usually knocks blight on the head. Commercial seeds are either fermented or even treated with acid. Fermentation isn't known to work for viral or bacterial problems in seeds, though.

  • KevinMKevinM Posts: 22

    Thanks all,

    My wife took a sample to a local garden centre and the person there said it was strange that it was only the skin that was affected, when they cut it open the inside appeared ok.  

    Seeds were obtained last year I believe, were the Italian seed range from a garden centre, fairly common range. Last year I recall they didn't grow particularly well either, maybe I should have chucked them on reflection (lesson learned maybe!) 

    Will post some more images tonight with a fruit cut open too.

     

     

     

  • KevinMKevinM Posts: 22

    Right here are some images - sorry for the quality, taken on my mobile.

    Leaves looking ok - some brown perhaps scorch marks, but some of the 'marks' are actually water splashes reflecting (v bright greenhouse today)

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    Infected fruit on the vine still, just turning on the right side slightly. Stem looks fine to me (some branches cut off for light)

     

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    Large fruit cut open, shows clearly the infected patch and inner going darker near it.

     

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     Doesn't seem to be spreading to any of the others near it - Ferline, Sungold, Torenzo, Moneymaker, Big Boy all appear ok (although the Big Boy near it is taking ages to ripen)

    Thanks v. much

  • ItalophileItalophile Posts: 1,731

    Kevin, the absence of other symptoms seems to suggest it's cultural. How hot has it been getting in the greenhouse? Excessive heat can impact on fruit.

  • KevinMKevinM Posts: 22

    Sorry for delay in replying. Yes I did wonder if it was more sensitive to heat for some reason  - it has been up to 35 degrees or so at times, although the toms have been shaded.

    I am tempted to remove it (it is in a bottomless pot on top of a growbag) and try it outside if I can relocate without destroying the roots. Don't want to risk the others getting it too

    Thanks for everyone's replies 

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