Causes Of Tomato Leaf Curl Disease! (Solution Added*)

Curling of tomato plant leaves during the growing season is very common, and in this Post we will see what causes this and how we can fix this issue. So let’s begin.

1-Stress & Shock?

The first and the most common cause of tomato plant leaf curl disease is stress and shock. Any kind of stress on the plant can push it into certain problems. In most cases, yellow leaves appear, but curling leaves can also be seen.

These stresses include too much heat, drought, excessive moisture, sudden weather changes, etc. All these changes are physiological. As soon as you fix the issue, the plant will recover within a few days.

It’s simply a response, not a disease. The plant is just trying to protect itself from environmental stress. Simply make sure the soil isn’t overly wet, the plant is not placed under extreme heat, and if the weather is shifting, you don’t need to do anything—just let the plant adjust naturally.

2-Nutritional Deficiency?

One common cause of tomato plant leaf curl disease is nutrient imbalance. Tomato plants are heavy feeders and require a variety of nutrients regularly. When a tomato plant receives too much nitrogen, the leaves start curling upwards with uneven growth.

In the same way, potassium deficiency weakens the cell walls, resulting in the downward curling of older leaves. Calcium is also very important—its deficiency deforms cell walls, causing twisted growth.

It can be very hard to identify the exact nutrient shortage, so simply use an all-in-one fertilizer for your tomato plants. In case of curling leaves, you should use compost tea liquid because it provides nutrients immediately. A guide on making compost tea at home is added Here.

3-Leaf Curl Virus!

The most serious cause of curling tomato plant leaves is viral attack. Especially when the entire plant leaves are curling along with a whitefly infestation, it is most probably Tomato Leaf Curl Virus.

Whiteflies carry this virus and transmit it into the leaves while sucking them. First, the plant tries to fight the virus, but if the attack is severe, the plant becomes unable to resist, and the virus takes over.

All the leaves start curling, and it is very hard to cure Tomato Leaf Curl Virus. All we can do is reduce the pest attack. Once the pest attack is controlled, the plant will try to fight off the virus on its own and may succeed.

You can use neem oil spray. A Detailed guide on neem oil preparation is also added Here.

4-Soil Toxicity?

Another common cause of curling tomato leaves is soil quality. If the soil media of your tomato plants is toxic or salty, this can definitely cause leaf curl disease. Salt pulls water out of the cells, and the result is curling inwards to reserve moisture.

Also, if your soil pH is far above or below 7, nutrient absorption is affected. The plant won’t be able to absorb nutrients effectively, which will eventually result in curling leaves, yellowing leaves, and stunted growth.

So make sure the soil media you are using for your tomato plants is fertile, well-draining, and soft. You can make such a mixture at home. Simply follow This Guide.

5-Pest Infection!

Another cause of curling tomato leaves is pest infection. Pests suck out the sap liquid from the leaves and stems. When this nutrient-rich liquid is removed, the plant responds by curling its leaves — mostly upward and very tightly.

If you notice pest activity on your plants, you should immediately use some kind of pesticide. You can use a neem spray. Otherwise, the plant may become weak, and more pests will attack a weakened plant. So make sure to handle the pest attack as soon as possible.

6-Genetic Transfer…

One major cause of tomato leaf curl disease is genetic disorder. If the seeds you are using to grow tomato plants were harvested from an infected plant, most probably the seeds also contain the virus inside them. Once they grow, the leaf curl virus takes over.

There is nothing you can do in such cases—these plants are useless, and you must remove them to save the rest of your crop. Always make sure to buy seeds from an authentic source. Some good quality tomato plant seeds are also added Here.

It’s all about tomato plant leaf curl disease. Feel free to follow our guide on tomato plants’ yellowing leaves.