Tomato Diseases: Fruit

Most of the diseases or problems with the tomato fruit result from contact with the soil or sub-optimal growing conditions. Keeping the fruit off the ground, proper watering and adequate sunlight will prevent many of the problems listed below.

Disease/Problem	Symptoms	Management
Anthracnosefungus Colletotrichum coccodes	Small, slightly sunken water soaked circular spots. Spots will become larger and darken in the center.	Copper sprays offer some resistance. Remove lower 12 inches of leaves to avoid contact with soil. Water the soil, not the leaves of the plants.
Bacterial Speck	Tiny raised, dark spots Usually have a white border	Copper fungicide
Blossom End Rot	Dark brown/black spots at blossom end Spots become larger as the fruit rots.	Attributed to low calcium during fruit set. May be caused by high nitrogen fertilizer or uneven watering. Remove affected fruit water regularly and deeply.
Buckeye Rot	Common in Southern states Similar to blossom end rot in appearance but it occurs on green fruit.	Remove affected fruit and keep fruit from contact with the soil.
Gray Wall	Green fruits may have a gray cast or gray blotches. Red fruit has green or brown areas on the inside of the fruit.	Make sure that the plants are in a sunny location and aren’t shaded. Provide even waterings. Fertilize as recommended. Keep soil loose around the roots.