How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines

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Crop rotation

Tomato

Crop Rotation

(Reviewed 1/08, updated 1/08)

In this Guideline

Avoid planting tomatoes in the same field year after year. Rotating to a nonhost crop can significantly reduce pest populations in the field. The table below provides information on nonhost crops that interrupt certain tomato-associated pathogen, nematode, and weed cycles.

If your field is infested with nematodes or pathogens listed in the table below, consider choosing a listed nonhost crop. Although longer nonhost crop rotations are ideal, they often are not economically feasible. A rotation of lesser duration is still beneficial, but to a lesser degree. In general, avoid solanaceous crops as rotation choices.

For winter annual weed control, choose wheat or small grains and control these weeds with a suitable herbicide. Manage summer annual weeds by growing a corn rotation and using selective herbicides and cultivations.

Volunteer tomato plants and other nightshades around the field edges of a rotation crop will perpetuate nematode populations. If your field has a history of nematodes, be sure to destroy all volunteer tomatoes.

Pest type Suggested rotation cycle in years Nonhost crop options and other comments
DISEASES
Verticillium wilt 3 Small grains, corn
Phytophthora root rot 1 Cereals for severe infestations
Bacterial spot 1 or more Nonsolanaceous crops
Bacterial canker 1 or more Nonsolanaceous crops
Fusarium 2 or more Crops other than tomato
Southern blight 3 Small grains
Corky root rot 2 or more Small grains, corn
OTHER PESTS
Root knot nematode — Use resistant tomato varieties and other nonhosts
Weeds 1 or more See special weed problems
Dodder — Use resistant tomato varieties

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Tomato
UC ANR Publication 3470

General Information

R. M. Davis, Plant Pathology, UC Davis

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