Catface and Growth Cracks

Advanced stage of growth cracks

Catfacing And Growth Cracks:
Catfacing is a tomato disorder that causes fruits to become distorted and puckered; bands of tan scar tissue run across the surface. Symptoms are often most pronounced at the blossom end. It occurs when conditions such as cold weather (below 55F), hot weather (above 85F), or drought interfere with flower and fruit development. Growth cracks in tomato skin may be radial (as in the photo) or concentric. Rot may set in at the cracks or they may heal over with corky, brown tissue. It is often more of a problem when weather is wet or plants are watered heavily as the fruits ripen, especially after a period of dry weather.

Prevention And Controls:
Protect plants from cool temperatures with floating row covers or cloches. Keep soil uniformly moist throughout the growing season. Hybrid varieties are less susceptible to catfacing. Choose crack-resistant varieties.

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Disease information provided by NationalGardening.com, the online publisher of the National Gardening Association.

Photos courtesy of University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dept. of Plant Pathology.