Bacterial Wilt: Prevention Is the Only Cure

Bacterial wilt can wipe out tomato, eggplant, pepper and potato, and the bacteria survive in soil and water.

How to recognise

Plants wilt suddenly while stems remain green; a cut stem placed in clear water releases milky streaming.

Prevention

• Rotate with non-host crops (cereals, maize) for 2–3 years.
• Use healthy, clean seedlings, ideally grafted onto resistant rootstock.
• Avoid wounding roots when hoeing or transplanting.
• Improve drainage; do not irrigate with contaminated water.
• Remove and destroy infected plants; disinfect tools.
• Lime acid soils where appropriate, since low pH favours the disease.

Chemical sprays rarely rescue infected plants, so do not wait for symptoms.