Mitigating the impact of abiotic and biotic stresses on processing tomato production

The project aims to control soilborne pathogens effecting tomato production through integrated disease management processes.

Species of pythium and fusarium oxysporum are the main pathogens associated with yield decline in processing tomatoes. Identifying these pathogens and proving that they reduced plant biomass and caused disease was a major step forward in understanding a biological component associated with yield decline.

This project will design molecular probes specific to these pathogens that can readily be used to measure inoculum levels in soils; and assess the efficacy of biofertilisers to prevent disease.

Publications

• Callaghan et al (2019). Identification and pathogenicity of Pythium species associated with poor growth of tomato plants in the Australian Processing Tomato Industry. Acta Horticulturae. No. 1233: 147-154.

Funding

• Funded by: Australian Processing Tomato Industry
• Funding period: 2019-2023