Question: Our tomatoes and beans make excellent growth for a short time in the season, then turn brown and curl up their toes. The roots have bulges in them. Our soil is a sandy loam. What can we do? QC, Kansas.
Answer: Organisms of root rot form lesions or cankers on the root system of beans causing the plants to be stunted and worthless. There are no known completely effective control measures. The best remedy is to plant the beans in another location and not use the infested area for any crop that is subject to root rot for at least four years.
With tomatoes, root knot nematode control starts with the soil. On diseased soil plants become sickly and unproductive. Some success is being attained in developing varieties resistant to nematodes. Crop rotation and good cultural practices are the most common deterrents.
