Control of tomato bacterial wilt using resistant rootstocks with soil disinfection treatments

Abstract

Tomato bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is one of the most damaging soil-borne diseases. One of the most effective control methods is the use of disease-resistant rootstocks. In this study, we evaluated the degree of the resistance of 17 commercial rootstock cultivars. We also evaluated the effects of cultivars with different resistance levels combined with different soil disinfection treatments (soil solarization, chloropicrin, or dazomet with flooding). The rootstock cultivars ‘Magnet’ and ‘Green Force’ did not completely suppress the disease with soil solarization or chloropicrin, but the suppression was enhanced by dazomet with flooding. Conversely, a highly resistant cultivar, ‘King Barrier,’ suppressed the disease under all experimental conditions. Highly resistant cultivars can be expected to suppress the disease regardless of soil disinfection.