Little Leaf syndrome

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Barb_FL
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Location: Indialantic, FL

Little Leaf syndrome

#1

Post: # 21090Unread post Barb_FL
Sun May 31, 2020 9:36 am

It's very late in my season and gardening during the summer starting in June in Florida is no fun. However, I would still like to know what is wrong with these plants. All are grown in Earthboxes in my backyard.

I have checked the leaves on all of the plants for anything microscopic with nothing detected. All of the stems, on all of the plants are very brittle; I can make clean snaps off the plant.

The first plant acts like TYLCV however no whiteflies, no yellowing, etc so it's something else. Barely any fruit set; blossoms snap off.
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The next 3 pictures are all different plants in separate earthboxes that were all perfect not too long ago with new growth started getting the little leaf system.
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Clkeiper
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#2

Post: # 21097Unread post Clkeiper
Sun May 31, 2020 11:05 am

my first guess is a nutritional deficiency.... boron.

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AZGardener
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Location: Arizona, USA

Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#3

Post: # 21098Unread post AZGardener
Sun May 31, 2020 11:17 am

herbicide drift? That's my guess.
USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 13
Average Rainfall 9.5 inches
Climate: Sonoran Desert

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Ginger2778
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Location: South Florida zone 10b

Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#4

Post: # 21143Unread post Ginger2778
Sun May 31, 2020 9:49 pm

Panel 2 and 4 look like herbicide drift to me. I have no idea about 1 and 3, other than heat and wind, and humidity. And i think that's why the blossoms are all brittle, just heat and humility, cant form much fruit. I surely do not see fungus or virus.
- Marsha

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peebee
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Location: So. Calif zone 10

Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#5

Post: # 21147Unread post peebee
Sun May 31, 2020 10:45 pm

I agree about herbicide drift, as it happened to me once. It came over from a neighbor's fence. I went over to ask that he let me know in advance next time so I can try to cover my plants. He was horrified & had no idea. Luckily I have nice neighbors.
Zone 10, Southern California
Will eat anything once before I judge.
Anything meaning any foods of course.

Barb_FL
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#6

Post: # 21198Unread post Barb_FL
Mon Jun 01, 2020 5:37 pm

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I appreciate you all taking the time to diagnosis; Herbicide drift is fairly alarming. I'm glad my season is about done.

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Shule
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#7

Post: # 21230Unread post Shule
Tue Jun 02, 2020 3:09 am

The leaf patterns at the top of your post look a lot like TMV. Have you ruled it out?
Location: SW Idaho, USA
Climate: BSk
USDA hardiness zone: 6
Elevation: 2,260 feet

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Growing Coastal
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#8

Post: # 21241Unread post Growing Coastal
Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:51 am

I looked online and found this which, due to your location, may be what's going on.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible ... ndrome.htm

also
https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/u-scout/ ... -leaf.html


interesting

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peebee
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Location: So. Calif zone 10

Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#9

Post: # 21256Unread post peebee
Tue Jun 02, 2020 1:00 pm

After reading the articles, maybe [mention]Growing Coastal[/mention] is right, since you mentioned how brittle the stems are. I don't recall if mine were brittle since I didn't try breaking any stems. I just pulled the plants out.
Zone 10, Southern California
Will eat anything once before I judge.
Anything meaning any foods of course.

Barb_FL
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#10

Post: # 21284Unread post Barb_FL
Tue Jun 02, 2020 6:35 pm

Thanks Growing Coastal - the leaves look exactly like that although the fruit isn't deformed and does have seeds.

As far as brittle; I can take an entire side stem with lots of branches, etc and just snap it off cleanly.

We had a lot of rain since Memorial Day so tomatoes are splitting regardless.

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PlainJane
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Location: N. FL Zone 9A

Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#11

Post: # 21286Unread post PlainJane
Tue Jun 02, 2020 6:41 pm

Looks/sounds right [mention]Growing Coastal[/mention]. I’ve got some of it going on here in N. Florida as well.
(On top of the usual dang disease horrors.)
“Never try to outstubborn a cat.”
- Robert A. Heinlein

Clkeiper
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#12

Post: # 21309Unread post Clkeiper
Wed Jun 03, 2020 6:03 am

LLS... I honestly have never heard of it until this thread. interesting that there doesn't seem to be a real diagnosis of what it actually is caused by. It really looks like a nutritional deficiency to me but not being able to utilize nutrients int he soil would mimic a lack of some nutrients. I have never seen anything like that here and maybe we don't have it here either. I really don't like living where it is cold in the Winter but we also don't have a lot of the insect and disease pressure associated with warmer weather.

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Growing Coastal
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#13

Post: # 21332Unread post Growing Coastal
Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:15 am

I find it interesting to read about what goes on with tomatoes in other places. I've had tomatoes with smaller leaves as the plant uses up the fertilizer in its pot but never anything that looks like LLS. Never had herbicidal drift either. It is amazing how similar LLS looks to herbicide damage.
It all makes me feel lucky about our tomato growing conditions. We can get some issues but nothing like what happens in warmer places. I never have to use chemical treatments for diseases or pests. However, I too dislike cold winters. 8-)

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AZGardener
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Re: Little Leaf syndrome

#14

Post: # 21355Unread post AZGardener
Wed Jun 03, 2020 11:57 am

Growing Coastal wrote: Tue Jun 02, 2020 9:51 am I looked online and found this which, due to your location, may be what's going on.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible ... ndrome.htm

also
https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/u-scout/ ... -leaf.html


interesting
I've not heard of little leaf syndrome before. Thank you for the links, interesting information.
USDA Zone 9b, Sunset Zone 13
Average Rainfall 9.5 inches
Climate: Sonoran Desert

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