Agronomic performance of F6 bacterial wilt resistant tomato lines

Abstract

Tomato bacterial wilt disease can cause up to 100% crop loss, but resistant cultivars have shown promise. However, these cultivars often exhibit poor agronomic traits, including low yield, poor fruit quality, and short shelf life. This study aimed to assess the agronomic performance of F6 bacterial wilt resistant tomato lines. Forty-three tomato lines were evaluated in a randomized complete block design at Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK). The results showed that crossing resistant parents improved yield while maintaining high bacterial wilt resistance. Notably, the cross between Anja and MT56 excelled in both bacterial wilt resistance and yield, outperforming all other combinations. This research highlights the potential to breed resistant tomato cultivars with desirable traits, offering a solution to the long-standing challenge of balancing disease resistance with agronomic performance.