Late blight on tomato has been confirmed near Macon County, NC on July 27, 2021.

UPDATE August 3, 2021: The strain has been identified as US-23, which has been the dominant strain in recent years. This strain is known to be sensitive to mefenoxam (active ingredient in Ridomil Gold), but reduced sensitivity to this strain has been reported in past years.

Growers should monitor frequently for symptoms of late blight and begin applying systemic fungicides. Tomatoes and potatoes are extremely susceptible to this disease and can be significantly defoliated within days if environmental conditions are conducive. Heavy morning dews and cool, wet weather favor this disease. Active scouting and preventive fungicide applications to protect tomato crops in North Carolina from late blight is recommended.

For more information about late blight and how to manage it, see the tomato late blight fact sheet, which lists effective products against late blight. Control recommendations are also available in the USAblight website, where you can register to receive text and/or email alerts when new disease outbreaks are reported.

If you think you have late blight in your tomatoes, please contact your local Extension agent and send photos and/or physical samples to the NC State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. If late blight is confirmed in your samples by an expert, please submit a report to the USAblight website to alert other growers. The USAblight website also contains information about disease identification and control.