Blotchy Ripening
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Blotchy ripening results in irregularly ripened tomato fruit with green to gray areas on the skin. When fruit is cut, dark necrotic tissue is present internally. Affected fruit are generally not marketable. This condition is associated with short days, cool temperatures, and excessive nitrogen.
Blotchy fruit external appearance.
(Photo: Shubin Saha, University of Kentucky)
Internal necrosis from blotchy ripening.
(Photo: Shubin Saha, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Provide adequate potassium fertility to help reduce incidence.
- Obtain soil and/or tissue nutrient tests; adjust fertility accordingly.
- As much as possible, modify structure environments to provide optimum growing conditions for crops.
