Fusarium Wilt of Tomato
- Issue type
- disease
- Seedborne
- No
- Resistance code
- F, FF, FFF
- Affects
- Tomato
Symptoms
Lower leaves yellow on one side of the plant or one side of a leaf, wilt during the day, and die upward through the canopy; cut stems show chocolate-brown vascular streaking. Soilborne and persistent for years once established.
Management
The pathogen comes in three named races and each was named for the resistance it defeated: race 1 is answered by I-1, race 2 emerged by breaking I-1 and is answered by I-2, and race 3 emerged by breaking I-2 and is answered by I-3. A fourth race that would break I-3 has been anticipated for years and a five-year survey of Californian fields did not find one. Catalogs print F, FF and FFF, and the trade reads the letter count as a race count. AMSeed records the codes as printed and does not convert them into race claims, because the sources we hold define the genes rather than the letters. Where heirlooms must be grown in infested soil, grafting onto resistant rootstock is the practical workaround. Rotation helps little because the fungus survives so long in soil.
Varieties with documented resistance
| Variety | Level | Code | Basis | Days | Breeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roma VF | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 73-80 | open-pollinated |
| Siletz | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 52-57 | open-pollinated |
| Homestead 24 | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 78-82 | open-pollinated |
| Ace 55 | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Heinz 1350 | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 75-78 | open-pollinated |
| Better Boy | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Early Girl | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 57-60 | F1 hybrid |
| Celebrity | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-72 | F1 hybrid |
| Big Beef | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-73 | F1 hybrid |
| Sun Gold | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 57-65 | F1 hybrid |
| SunSugar | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 60-62 | F1 hybrid |
| Super Sweet 100 | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Magic | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 66-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Defiant PhR | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Merit | resistant | FFF | Independently observed | 73-77 | F1 hybrid |
| Amelia | resistant | - | Independently observed | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Bella Rosa | resistant | - | Independently observed | 72-76 | F1 hybrid |
| Florida 91 | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 70-74 | F1 hybrid |
| Solar Fire | resistant | - | Independently observed | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Lemon Boy | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 72-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Jet Star | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 72-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Fresh Plus | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Patio | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Plum Regal | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 68-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Granadero | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Jasper | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| BHN 589 | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 74-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sweet Million | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Bradley | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Manalucie | resistant | F | Independently observed | 80-85 | open-pollinated |
| Floradade | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Marion | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Tropic | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 80-85 | open-pollinated |
| Mountain Pride | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 74-77 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Rouge | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 74-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Damsel | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Marnero | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Margold | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Rebelski | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Geronimo | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Primo Red | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 68-73 | F1 hybrid |
| Red Deuce | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Skyway 687 | resistant | FFF | Independently observed | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Sebring | resistant | - | Independently observed | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Florida 47 | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Viva Italia | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 72-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Big Mama | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 80-85 | F1 hybrid |
| Super Marzano | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sweet Chelsea | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Favorita | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Five Star Grape | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Sungella | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Bush Early Girl | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 54-63 | F1 hybrid |
| Better Bush | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 68-72 | F1 hybrid |
| Bush Goliath | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Health Kick | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Beefmaster | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 80-85 | F1 hybrid |
| SuperSteak | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 80-85 | F1 hybrid |
| Park's Whopper | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Champion | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 62-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Fantastic | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Delight | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Spring | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Gem | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Carolina Gold | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Sunbrite | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Heatmaster | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Phoenix | resistant | - | Independently observed | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| BHN 602 | resistant | - | Independently observed | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Crista | resistant | FFF | Breeder declared | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Galahad | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 69-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Buffalosun | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Purple Zebra | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Orange | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Pink | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Black | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sweet Treats | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Esterina | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Toronjina | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Apero | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Napa Grape | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Sakura | resistant | F | Breeder declared | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Pozzano | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Supremo | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Verona | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Estiva | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Bigdena | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Cobra | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Beorange | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-82 | F1 hybrid |
| Tribute | resistant | FFF | Breeder declared | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Red Snapper | resistant | FFF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Yellow | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Bicolor | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-85 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Red | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sun Leaper | resistant | FF | Breeder declared | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Solar Set | resistant | FF | Independently observed | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
This is the page where the difference matters most, because it is where a variety gets chosen for its resistance. Breeder declared means the claim comes from whoever breeds or sells the seed, which for most resistance genes is the only evidence that exists. Independently observed means an institution with no stake in the sale grew the plant and reported what happened.
Sources & References
Evidence: 3 sources, all independent references.
- Vegetable MD Online · Cornell University, Plant Pathology, University or Government
- Tomato Production and Cultivar Guides · University of Florida IFAS Extension, University or Government
- Monitoring for a new I3 resistance gene-breaking race of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fusarium wilt) in California processing tomatoes following recent widespread adoption of resistant (F3) cultivars: Challenges with race 3 and 4 differentiation methods · Frontiers in Plant Science (2023), Peer-Reviewed