An integrated approach to understanding tomato sour rot and improving disease management
K. FIEDLER (1), S. Rideout (1). (1) Virginia Tech Eastern Shore AREC, Painter, VA, U.S.A.
<i>Geotrichum candidum</i> is the causal agent of sour rot in tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i>) and other fresh produce. This disease is a major limiting factor of tomato production in all growing regions, including the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Florida and California. It can cause major losses in the field and during post-harvest handling, though little is still known about the disease etiology and management practices. During severe outbreaks, losses up to 25% in packaged fruit can result. Currently, there are no in-field or post-harvest fungicides labeled to reduce sour rot infections. Because of its unique classification and structure, standard fungicides are not highly effective at preventing infection establishment or transmission, leaving cultural practices the main focus for control. This research integrates results from cultivar disease tolerance trials, molecular and <i>in vitro</i> characterization of isolates, and in-field and packinghouse epidemiological studies to better understand the tomato sour rot pathosystem so recommendations can be made to growers to reduce the impact of sour rot on commercial tomato production. Preliminary results demonstrate a significant correlation between disease incidence and specific weather conditions. Resistance to <i>G. candidum</i> was not observed during multiple growing seasons, leaving cultural controls as the most important for disease management.
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