Fusarium Wilt of Tomato
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici · fungus · also: fusarium wilt
- 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
Resistance breeding solved fusarium wilt twice and is working on the third round: race 1 resistance (code F) is nearly universal in modern hybrids, race 2 (FF) is common, race 3 (FFF) is present in newer southern-adapted hybrids. 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 | Days | Breeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roma VF | resistant | F | 73-80 | open-pollinated |
| Siletz | resistant | F | 52-57 | open-pollinated |
| Homestead 24 | resistant | F | 78-82 | open-pollinated |
| Ace 55 | resistant | F | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Heinz 1350 | resistant | F | 75-78 | open-pollinated |
| Better Boy | resistant | F | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Early Girl | resistant | FF | 57-60 | F1 hybrid |
| Celebrity | resistant | FF | 70-72 | F1 hybrid |
| Big Beef | resistant | FF | 70-73 | F1 hybrid |
| Sun Gold | resistant | F | 57-65 | F1 hybrid |
| SunSugar | resistant | F | 60-62 | F1 hybrid |
| Super Sweet 100 | resistant | F | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Magic | resistant | FF | 66-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Defiant PhR | resistant | FF | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Merit | resistant | FFF | 73-77 | F1 hybrid |
| Amelia | resistant | FFF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Bella Rosa | resistant | FF | 72-76 | F1 hybrid |
| Florida 91 | resistant | FF | 70-74 | F1 hybrid |
| Solar Fire | resistant | FFF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Lemon Boy | resistant | F | 72-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Jet Star | resistant | F | 72-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Fresh Plus | resistant | FF | 75-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Patio | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Plum Regal | resistant | FF | 68-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Granadero | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Jasper | resistant | F | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| BHN 589 | resistant | FF | 74-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sweet Million | resistant | F | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Bradley | resistant | F | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Manalucie | resistant | F | 80-85 | open-pollinated |
| Floradade | resistant | FF | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Marion | resistant | F | 75-80 | open-pollinated |
| Tropic | resistant | F | 80-85 | open-pollinated |
| Mountain Pride | resistant | FF | 74-77 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Rouge | resistant | FF | 74-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Damsel | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Marnero | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Margold | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Rebelski | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Geronimo | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Primo Red | resistant | FF | 68-73 | F1 hybrid |
| Red Deuce | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Skyway 687 | resistant | FFF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Sebring | resistant | FFF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Florida 47 | resistant | FF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Viva Italia | resistant | FF | 72-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Big Mama | resistant | F | 80-85 | F1 hybrid |
| Super Marzano | resistant | FF | 70-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sweet Chelsea | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Favorita | resistant | F | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Five Star Grape | resistant | FF | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Sungella | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Bush Early Girl | resistant | FF | 54-63 | F1 hybrid |
| Better Bush | resistant | F | 68-72 | F1 hybrid |
| Bush Goliath | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Health Kick | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Beefmaster | resistant | F | 80-85 | F1 hybrid |
| SuperSteak | resistant | F | 80-85 | F1 hybrid |
| Park's Whopper | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Champion | resistant | F | 62-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Fantastic | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Delight | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Spring | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Mountain Gem | resistant | FF | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Carolina Gold | resistant | FF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Sunbrite | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Heatmaster | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Phoenix | resistant | FF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| BHN 602 | resistant | FF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Crista | resistant | FFF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Galahad | resistant | FF | 69-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Buffalosun | resistant | FF | 70-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Purple Zebra | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Orange | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Pink | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Black | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sweet Treats | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Esterina | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Toronjina | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Apero | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Napa Grape | resistant | F | 65-70 | F1 hybrid |
| Sakura | resistant | F | 60-65 | F1 hybrid |
| Pozzano | resistant | FF | 70-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Supremo | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Verona | resistant | FF | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Estiva | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Bigdena | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Cobra | resistant | FF | 70-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Beorange | resistant | FF | 75-82 | F1 hybrid |
| Tribute | resistant | FFF | 72-78 | F1 hybrid |
| Red Snapper | resistant | FFF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Yellow | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Bicolor | resistant | FF | 75-85 | F1 hybrid |
| Chef's Choice Red | resistant | FF | 75-80 | F1 hybrid |
| Sun Leaper | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
| Solar Set | resistant | FF | 70-75 | F1 hybrid |
Sources & References
Evidence: 2 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