Fusarium crown and root rot
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Fusarium crown and root rot of tomato
This disease is widespread and causes losses on tomatoes of up to 50% in some cultivars. Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radicis-lycopersici has been previously regarded as the causal agent of the disease, but this form is now known to be polyphyletic, representing several separate species in the Fusarium oxysporum species complex (Lombard et al., 2019). The disease is similar to Fusarium wilt of tomato, mainly caused by Fusarium languescens. However, the crown and root rot disease affects mainly the root-stem transition zone, up to 10-30 cm above the ground and does not cause vascular symptoms higher up on the stem.
The pathogens enter the plant through small wounds. Infected tomato plants show yellowing, necrosis of the lower leaves, wilting and stunting, typically leading to plant death. The tap root often rots. The fungi disperse through seeds or as conidia through the air. The disease favours wet and acid soil. It is managed through resistant cultivars and soil solarization. The use of antagonistic and resistance-inducing bacteria (e.g Pseudomonas fluorescens) has also given promising results.
| Vernacular names | |
|---|---|
| • Deutsch: | Stängelbasis- und Wurzelfäule der Tomate |
| • English: | crown and root rot of tomato root and crown rot of tomato |
| • Français: | pourriture de la racine et du collet de la tomate |
During their revision of the Fusarium oxysporum species complex, Lombard et al. (2019) have analysed two strains which have been identified as Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. radicis-lycopersici. They found them to belong to 2 separate species, Fusarium languescens and Fusarium nirenbergiae.
