Diseases
Early blight
Identify Early blight: symptoms, possible causes, prevention, and practical actions for 3 affected plants. Small, dark spots on leaves that enlarge and…
Editorial diagnosis
Diagnosis overview
Early blight often shows brown target-like leaf spots on nightshades.
In gardens, Early blight can occur on plants including Eggplant, tomato, Tomatillo. In the available profiles, it is linked mainly with Fruit vegetables.
The recorded risk level is medium. Conditions that favour it include Wet weather or prolonged leaf wetness, Dense planting and poor airflow, Susceptible cultivars. It becomes serious when much foliage is lost early.
Compare upper and lower leaf surfaces, the boundary between healthy and damaged tissue, and spread after wet weather. Coatings, spores, or progressive rot support a disease diagnosis.
A common mistake is to identify a disease from one spot alone; weather, spread, and pathogen structures also need to fit.
At a glance
Plants
3
Category
Fruit vegetables
Risk
medium
Typical signs
- Concentric rings
- Brown leaf spots
- Lower leaves first
Possible confusion
- Growing problem: Growing problems are usually linked to water, light, temperature, or soil and do not show pathogen growth, pustules, or progressive infection patterns.
- Nutrient deficiency: Deficiency patterns are often more regular and follow leaf age or veins. Diseases more often show spots, coatings, rot, wilting, or pathogen structures.
Immediate actions
- Remove affected plant parts
- Improve airflow
- Avoid overhead watering
- Keep tools clean
- Remove heavily infected plant residues
Prevention
- Use suitable spacing
- Follow crop rotation
- Choose robust cultivars
- Keep leaves dry
- Support soil structure and plant vigour
Affected plants
Guides
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