Vegetable Crops Hotline A newsletter for commercial vegetable growers prepared by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service

Fusarium crown and Root rot

wilted tomato

Figure 1. The first symptom of Fusarium crown rot one of tomato is likely to notice is a wilted plant.

crown rot

Figure 2. Dark vascular discoloration is typical of crown rot of tomato. Whereas vascular discoloration of crown rot typically extend an inch or two up the stem, discoloration due to Fusarium wilt will extend for several inches. Note also that wilt due to Fusarium wilt tends to be one-sided whereas wilt due to crown rot is likely to be the entire plant.

outside of crown

Figure 3. Canker on outside of stem due to crown rot of tomato.