Tomato and Pepper Bacterial Spot is caused by the Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) organism. Traditionally, spotted, necrotic lesions are seen on the leaves which if left untreated can cause premature leaf drop or in severe cases, can spread to the fruit. During periods of high relative humidity and high temperatures, AgriPhage should be sprayed at a higher rate.
The AgriPhage formulation also contains phages active against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). This disease is characterized by black, nectrotic lesions that can also spread to fruit. This bacteria tends to thrive at cooler temperatures than Xcv, Bacterial speck can be very difficult to distinguish from bacterial spot which is why we’ve combined our tomato bacteriophage treatments into one product.
Once applied, bacteriophages that come in contact with Xcv or Pst lesions quickly kill and multiply exponentially on the lesion. Regular application of AgriPhage will show new leaf and plant growth with no lesions.
In 2005, OmniLytics Inc. received the very first EPA registration for a bacteriophage therapy used to treat common bacterial diseases on Tomatoes and Peppers. This safe, organic and natural treatment doesn’t display any of the phytotoxic effects on the plant that many of the traditional treatments notoriously cause. A “softer” bacterial treatment allows the plants to put more of their energy into growing larger sized fruit, and increasing overall yield. With a 4 hour Re-Entry Interval (REI) and Zero Post Harvest Interval (PHI), you can rest assured that you’re applying a product that’s safe for the environment and for workers.