The Control of Soil Borne Vascular Diseases: Limits of Genetic Resistance of Cultivars and Rootstocks for Controlling Fusarium oxysporum f. sp melonis (Melon) and Verticillium sp (Eggplant)

After using resistant cultivars or resistant rootstocks for many years to control soil-borne pathogenic fungi causing wilt disease, growers observe more and more frequently wilt like symptoms in their melon and eggplant cultures. Ctifl, in close collaboration with INRA, regional extension services, and seed companies, set up a study designed to investigate the causative pathological agents. The results show the prevalence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis race 1-2 yellowing on melon and of Verticillium dahliae on eggplant. Both pathogens are often found together with other pathogenic soil fungi, which act as aggravating factors. The isolates of F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis collected from infected plants appear to be more aggressive than the reference strains currently used for screening resistant material in breeding programmes. In the case of Verticillium wilt, the taxonomic and race status of the isolates sampled, remain unclear.