Danen
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 11:42 pm

Tomato Plant - Leaf Health Issues

Hello everyone!!

This is my first time posting. I've grown 4 varieties of tomato plants from seed. I'm using a High Pressure Aeroponic system. Everything had been going well until recently. Below is a quick rundown of the grow room specs along with the issues I'm seeing. At this point I'm a bit stumped. Could this be due to overwatering?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Grown from seed
4 weeks old
Grown using High Pressure Aeroponics (roots sprayed with very fine nutrient mist)
Reservoir
ppm: 800
pH: 6.0
Temp: 70F
Environment
Day Temp: 75-78F
Night Temp: 68-70F
Humidity: 60%
Lights on: 16hr/day
Lights: 4ft, 2 bulb T5 VHO

Pic 1. Minor leaf curl with "leathery" texture
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Pic 2. Significant leaf curl/twisting?
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Pic 3. Leaf twisting
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Pic 4. This variety looks very limp. Some branches have turned upside down.
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Pic 5. Branches upside down. Limp.
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Pic 6. Leaf curling up
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Pic 7. White/tan spot. This might be sunburn from getting to close to the lamp?
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Pic 8. Only 1 leaf on 1 plant like this. The leaf is black, dry, and almost dead
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Pic 9. Closer look at black leaf
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Pic 10. More leaf curl
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Pic 11. White patches
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Pic 12. Yellow splotches
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Pic 13. White Spot
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Danen
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 11:42 pm

I think I found the problem. Mites?
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imafan26
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Posts: 13962
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

The bugs. They could be mealy bugs or white flies. Mites are not easy to see and they usually show stippling on the front of the leaf. Sucking pests like mealy bugs, scale, aphids usually follow the veins of the plant. While flies are more scattered and eggs are white swirls and the adults fly around when the leaves are disturbed.

Sucking pests can cause leaves to pucker and curl.

The branches turning up is because of gravity. It happens with tomatoes grown in hanging baskets too. The heavy branches are pulled down when there is nothing but air to support them but the growing tips will point up toward the light source.

Danen
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 11:42 pm

Thanks Imafan! I found a 3 in 1 Organic spray that covers most of those. Is it possible the damage can be reversed or is the crop lost in your opinion?

Danen
Newly Registered
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 11:42 pm

Thanks everyone for the help! The plants are still growing quickly. However, I'm still having some issues with the leaves. Could this be a Calcium - Magnesium deficiency or nutrient burn? The below are of mostly older leaves.
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User avatar
applestar
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Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Sorry for joining this late -- I'm inclined to think whitefly too. The older leaves may just be exhibiting the previously caused damage that has been expanded as the leaves grew in size, but it's possible you need to repeat treatment. Whiteflies will fly up when disturbed -- sometimes you just think you are seeing things in the corner of your eye until you learn to recognize them. But try turning over and looking under some of those leaves -- they would look like tiny white elongated flakes.

Those white patches are definitely burns from light contact. Those areas would thin and split, but dead areas can sometimes get water soaked.



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