Late Blight can travel and infect the plants of others — if you suspect the disease is present in your tomato or potato plants, please help to prevent its spread and contact your County Extension Field Specialist. From the UNH Cooperative Extension:
Alert: Late Blight Disease found in tomato plants in Middlesex County, Massachusetts on July 3, 2012!
We just heard from Cheryl Smith, UNH Cooperative Extension Professor and Plant Health Specialist, that Late Blight Disease on tomato plants was confirmed today in Middlesex County, MA.
Remember that spores can travel a long distance in cool cloudy weather, but are killed easily in hot sunny weather. Tomato and potato crops should be protected with fungicides prior to any rainy weather expected over the next several days (there is a slight chance of thunderstorms Wednesday – Thursday).
Fungicide recommendations, resources that show photos of late blight symptoms, and lots of other good information is available at the UNH Plant Diagnostic Lab’s Late Blight page – available at http://extension.unh.edu/Agric/LateBlight.htm
If you suspect that the disease is present in any of your tomatoes or potatoes, you can take photos and send to Cheryl Smith [email protected], Becky Sideman [email protected], or your county Extension Field Specialist. Home gardeners can email [email protected].