Tomato Catface/Cracking

(photos at bottom of page)

Casual Agent: Environmental - variety interactions

Distribution: Worldwide

Symptoms: In concentric cracking, the fruit develop circular, concentric cracks around the stem end of the fruit. In radial cracking, the fruit cracks radiate form the stem end. Catface is expressed as malformation and cracking of fruit at the blossom end, often exposing the locules.

Conditions for Disease Development:

Conditions which may cause cracking include:

1. Periods of very fast fruit growth with high temperature and moisture levels.
2. Initital fruit growth during a dry period followed by heavy rain or irrigations during ripening
3. Wide differences in day and night temperatures. Catface may be caused by abnormally cool or hot weather, or any disturbance to flower parts during blossoming.

Control: Use varieties which are tolerant to this disorder.

Resistant/Tolerant Varieties: Duke, CountII, Floradade, Walter and others.