DISEASE RESISTANCE IN TOMATO: PRESENT SITUATION AND HOPES

All types of pathogens can be found in tomato crops.
Genetic resistance can be used to control an ever increasing number of pathogens.
Most resistance traits actually used are monogenic and dominant, and breeders are generating F1 hybrids accumulating several genes.
Combining several genes in open pollinated varieties requires more time and breeders need to preserve the exclusivity of their varieties.
In most cases interesting resistance genes are linked with defects that are masked in the F1 hybrids.

Wild species of Lycopersicon were exploited since the 1940s by breeders as sources of disease resistance.
Most modem varieties result from interspecific crosses.
The importance of wild species allied to the tomato is always increasing, not only as sources of resistance to pathogens, but also for environmental adaptation and fruit quality.

WCHR – World Conference on Horticultural Research

H. Laterrot

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.495.13