Vol. 12, Special Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
Deepa G, Shripad HK, Patil PV, Patil CR and Biradar MS

Abstract:
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) also known as the poor man's orange, is a widely cultivated vegetable belonging to the Solanaceae family. Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A, B, C and provide a diverse range of colours and flavours to dishes. Recently, their medicinal value has gained recognition due to the antioxidant properties of ascorbic acid and the presence of lycopene. However, tomatoes are susceptible to various diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses and nematodes. One of the major challenge is Fusarium wilt, caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, which significantly affects tomato yield. To assess the extent of this disease, a survey was conducted in six districts of northern Karnataka namely Dharwad, Vijaypur, Bagalkote, Belagavi, Haveri and Gadag. The survey findings revealed that wilt disease incidence was prevalent throughout the surveyed districts where tomato cultivation was practiced. The range of wilt incidence varied from 3.85 percent to 23.81 percent. Dharwad district exhibited the highest wilt incidence of 17.76 percent, while Bagalkote district had the lowest incidence of 9.84 percent. These results highlight the widespread occurrence of Fusarium wilt and highlight the need for effective management strategies in tomato cultivation in northern Karnataka.