Several tomato plants in the hydroponic greenhouses are dwarf, bushy, with changed flowers (see pics), no fruits formed from the changed flowers. They are free of usual viruses. What can it be? I suspect phytoplasma (not stolbur) or new gemini-/begomovirus?
These symptoms are usually caused by viruses. What is the distribution of the symptoms in your green house? What is the source of the seeds or how were the seedlings raised? When did you observed the first symptoms? What types of vectors or insects do you normally observe in the greenhouse?
If the disease distribution is random then the observed disorder could be associated with viral diseases. Viral diseases unlike other pathogens could also uniformly distributed. Leaf curling could be caused by nutrient deficiency (abiotc stress) or pathogens (biotic stress), I will suggest you scout for insect pest on the plant both the upper and lower part of leaves. This could give you idea if the disease is caused by virus.
If the incidence and severity are higher, for instance if the disease incidence is 100% then you have destroy the plant.
You could equally get assistance from any plant pathologist closer to you. It is sad though but more hope.
I wish you all the best.
Kouadri Mohamed El Amine In fact, the plants have been already tested by the Dutch seed producer for many viruses. Possible infection was figured out from the diseased plants' distribution in the greenhouse. The symptoms have some similarities to phytoplasma or virus diseases but could be also caused by genetic factors. I have found similar symptoms on garden tomatoes photographed in 2011 in USA. But, it was not explained at that time too.
- Disease can cause such distortion in tomato plants
- Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) causing a rapid wilting of tomato plants.
I will also look on the possibility of a drift of growth regulators or herbicides, like low dosage of 2 4 D.
Chaim Kempler Thank you for the idea about 2,4D. This is a hydroponic greenhouse on Rockwool mates, but we check the possibility of accident growth regulators in water.
I have heard of physiological problem in tomato associated with hybrodponics - but I am no longer active in this field - so I do not know the details.
Walter A. de Milliano Walter, thank you! One more clue - these plants smell specifically.
Prof Walter A. de Milliano the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an invasive insect pest of tomato. It can cause distortion in Tomato
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