Tomato Big Bud (TBB)
Tomato Big Bud (TBB): The disease infects all the plant parts. The big bud of tomato is transmitted by leaf hopper (Orosius argenatatus). The first indication of infection appears at the tips of the actively growing shoots. The youngest fruit truss, instead of becoming recurved as in normal plants, assumes an upright position. The buds on the truss also point in a vertical direction, the calyx segments remain united almost to the tips, and the whole calyx enlarges to a form like a bladder with a toothed opening at the top. On pruned plants in the field, the growing points fail to develop normally. After a short time, the axillary buds grow out, forming shoots affected in the same way as the main shoot. Simultaneously, there is a gradual thickening of the stems of the affected parts due to the formation of an abnormal tissue, In cases where the growth of the terminal buds completely ceases, the thickening of the stems may become very marked. The disease appears initially on young developing. The affected leaves become yellow-green and roll along their margins. The size of the leaves reduces as the disease advances. Fruit that is well developed but still green at the time of infection becomes hard and tough and colours extremely slowly or not at all.
Control: Removal and destruction of the affected plant parts is the only control measure.
