How can I get rid of funguses in the soil?

by Ryan
(Pflugerville, TX)

Q. I have 2 tomato plants from last year that I saved. They where doing well, but we had a wet winter. The water drained away from the base of the tomatoes. But recently, I noticed that the tomato plants started to get yellow leaves, then brown. Then they dropped the green leaves. The plants never got better so I pulled them up.

After studying them, I believe the plants contracted either fusarium wilt or verticillium wilt.

Here is my question: will it spread? How can I get rid of these two funguses?

A. To date, there is no chemical treatment available for fusarium wilt and verticillium wilt.

• Destroy infected plants immediately.
  
• To slow the diseases, keep soil pH between 6.5 and 7.0 and use a nitrate-based nitrogen fertilizer rather than an ammonia-based nitrogen fertilizer.
  
• Avoid planting other Solanaceous crops (potato, pepper, and eggplant) in the same area, too – they are susceptible to the fungus.
  
• At the end of the season, set dry leaves or straw on affected area. Burn to kill fungus in the soil.
  
• Rotate crops.