Tomato Leaf curl

[sdnapier]

My friend has a problem with her tomatoes and can't seem to find any pics on line that look like hers. The leaves are curling up but not dying and they are not yellow. There are very few blossoms. The whole bed is affected. Does anyone know what it is and what she need to do?

Thanks Sheryl

[IowaLez]

You have Curly Top virus.

I just posted this in reply to another post the other day, like yours.

I have the definitive book on world-wide tomato diseases from Seminis Vegetable Seeds, one of the 'evil' seed companies in the US.

Curly Top is spread by Beet Leafhoppers, who are borne on the wind from location to location.

There is no cure.

All you can do is spray the weeds and stuff around the garden or property to kill them before they strike.

[no1butcherman]

From what I see it's probably not a virus. Their not watering deep enough when watering and no mulch compost to hold moisture. The plants are tall and spindly so leads me to believe their cultivated deep, and the leaves are curling to try hold the plants moisture.

[no1butcherman]

Excellent job on the photos by the way. Picture is worth a thousand words.

[IowaLez]

Tomatoes don't curl up when thirsty, they get limp.

In the photos, you can see the stems are literally twisting around. The leaves are curled up as well. Twisting and curling are hallmarks of the disease. The photo plants look like those in my book.

They look like younger plants, that haven't filled out yet.

I guess you can leave them be, and see what happens next, or rip them out and start over. But spraying weeds and tall grass around the garden is said to help.

The main host of the beet leafhopper is beets, of course, but they live on many other kinds of host plants. They can travel a huge distance on winds.

[no1butcherman]

Curling tomato leaves may be a sign of a viral infection. Normally this virus is transmitted through whiteflies or through infected transplants.

Though it can take up to three weeks before any symptoms develop, the most common indicator of the disease is the yellowing and upward curling of the leaves, which may also appear crumply. Plant growth soon becomes stunted and may even take on a bush-like growth habit. Flowers usually will not develop and those that do simply drop off. In addition, fruit production will be significantly reduced.

[no1butcherman]

Another cause of tomato plant leaf curling, also known as leaf roll, is attributed to physiologic conditions. While its exact cause may be unknown, it’s believed to be a sort of self-defense mechanism.



During excessively cool, moist conditions, leaves may roll upward and become leathery in an effort to repel this excessive moisture. This specific condition occurs around fruit setting time and is most commonly seen on staked and pruned plants.

Curling tomato leaves may also be triggered by just the opposite—uneven watering, high temperatures, and dry spells. Leaves will curl upward to conserve water but they do not take on the leathery-like appearance. Plum and paste varieties are most commonly affected.

[frankva]

Originally Posted by no1butcherman

Another cause of tomato plant leaf curling, also known as leaf roll, is attributed to physiologic conditions. While its exact cause may be unknown, it’s believed to be a sort of self-defense mechanism.

I saw that this year. One of my backup plants was angry about being root bound in a small pot. Now that it is in a larger pot, the leaves are happier/more normal.

[Ky-Jeeper]

I seen that with too much fertilizer also.

[littlenipper22]

I had one plant doing this, so we assumed it was getting too much fertilizer... I just dug him up and moved him to the other side of the garden in some unfertilized soil. After a couple of weeks and a little bit of miracle grow, our little "Rocky"'s come back to life