My tomatoes are developing white or yellow areas on the sides of the fruit exposed to the sun. Why?
My tomatoes are developing white or yellow areas on the sides of the fruit exposed to the sun. Why?
The white or yellow areas on your tomatoes are due to sunscald. Sunscald occurs on fruit exposed to the sun during periods of extreme heat. Initial symptoms of sunscald are the development of shiny white or yellow areas on the fruit. Later, the affected tissue dries out and collapses, forming slightly sunken, wrinkled areas. Secondary organisms invade the affected areas causing the fruit to rot.
Losses due to sunscald can be reduced by growing tomatoes in wire cages. Cage grown tomato plants provide good foliage protection for the fruit. Also, control Septoria leaf spot and other foliar diseases which defoliate plants and expose the fruit to direct sunlight.
Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Horticulture and Home Pest News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on . The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.