The first symptoms are wilting of the youngest leaves, usually during the hottest part of the day. This can easily go unnoticed because the leaves stay green but eventually the entire plant wilts and dies. These dramatic symptoms occur when the weather is hot (over 85 degrees), the humidity is high and lots of rainfall has left the ground wet. It’s also more common in soil with a high PH.
You can diagnose bacterial wilt by cutting the stem at the base of the plant. Look for discolored tissue. Suspend the stem in a glass of water. If it is infected, a white, slimy substance will ooze into the water within just a few minutes.
Treatment and control