Agriculture: Tomato Pest Management Guidelines

Late Fruit Set

This year-round IPM program covers the major pests of California tomatoes grown for processing.

About Late Fruit Set (1-inch fruit to first red fruit)

  • Special issues of concern related to water quality: Fertilizer application, fungicide application, insecticide application, drift, runoff due to irrigation.

What should you be doing during this time?

Use irrigation practices that will enhance fruit yield and quality.

Take leaf samples for:

  • Tomato fruitworm
  • Potato aphid

Keep records on a monitoring form (PDF).

Sample for stink bugs by shaking vines. Treatment is not usually required for juice or paste tomatoes, otherwise treat if needed according to the Tomato Pest Management Guidelines.

When fruit are 1 inch or more in diameter, sample fruit for:

Keep records on a monitoring form (PDF) and treat if needed according to Tomato Pest Management Guidelines.

Continue monitoring for leaf and stem bronzing due to russet mite.

Watch for diseases:

  • Bacterial canker
  • Late blight
  • Buckeye rot

Treat if needed according to the Tomato Pest Management Guidelines.

Consider management for blackmold according to the Tomato Pest Management Guidelines.

Look for signs and symptoms of powdery mildew.

Sporadic or minor pests you may see:

  • Aphids (green peach and other early season aphids, potato)
  • Hornworms
  • Loopers
  • Lygus bugs
  • Thrips
  • Tomato bug
  • Tomato pinworm
  • Virus symptoms
  • Whiteflies
Text Updated: 12/13
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