Guide to Identifying and Controlling Postharvest Tomato Diseases in Florida

Jerry A. Bartz, Gary E. Vallad, and Steven A. Sargent

Release Date: 1/27/2021

Reviewed At: 5/6/2024

DOI: 10.32473/edis-hs131-2020

Agriculture

Abstract

Pathogens are present in all tomato production areas and are most numerous when the weather becomes warm and wet. Movement of weather fronts or tropical storms through production areas can also affect the susceptibility of tomato fruit to decay. Fruit decays can be minimized by the employment of strict sanitation measures along with careful handling. This bulletin is designed to supplement field scouting and identification guides by describing postharvest decay pathogens important to Florida tomato packers and shippers, presenting sanitation guidelines for controlling decay pathogens during harvest and handling operations, and offering appropriate storage temperature options.

About this Publication

This document is HS866, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date February 2002. Revised December 2004, November 2009, July 2013, and January 2017. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication.

About the Authors

Jerry A. Bartz, associate professor emeritus, Plant Pathology Department; Gary E. Vallad, professor, Plant Pathology Department, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center; and Steven A. Sargent, professor, Horticultural Sciences Department; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611. The authors acknowledge the assistance of Corrine Hermle, former graduate in the Plant Pathology Department, for figures 2 and 14 and Steve Jordan, former postdoctoral trainee, for Figure 10.

How to Cite

Bartz, J. A., Vallad, G. E., & Sargent, S. A. (2020). Guide to Identifying and Controlling Postharvest Tomato Diseases in Florida. EDIS, 2020(5). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hs131-2020