Screening of tomato hybrids for resistance to Fusarium wilt

Abstract Few commercial genotypes of tomato are resistant to Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici [FOL]), especially to race 3. We developed five intraspecific hybrids of Solanum lycopersicum (FOX1 to FOX5) and assessed them for agronomic traits and resistance to FOL races 1, 2, 3, and a mixture of these races. FOX1 and FOX4 were resistant to all races and the race mixture but did not have the desired agronomic traits. Next, FOX1 and FOX4 were assessed as rootstocks of the cherry tomato Sweet Heaven. The grafting of Sweet Heaven on FOX4 did not reduce growth, gas exchange, yield, or fruit quality. When FOX1 was used as a rootstock, the fruits exhibited a reduction in firmness, fruit pulp pH, and total soluble solids by 14.3%, 1.2%, and 6.75%, respectively. Thus, the hybrid FOX4 can be used as a rootstock for Sweet Heaven to manage Fusarium wilt.