Prevalence of Fusarium Wilt of Tomato in Major Tomato Growing Areas of Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Tomato is an essential vegetable in the world due to its nutritional importance. It has vitamin A C and lycopene, which reduce the prostate cancer, and heart and age-related diseases. Tomato wilt disease (TWD) is a potential threat and spreading rapidly in tomato fields in Pakistan. The survey on the disease prevalence of Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol)) of tomato was conducted in the major tomato growing areas of Punjab, viz., Hafizabad, Pakpattan, Khushab, Sargodha and Faisalabad districts during the cropping season 2018. Tomato wilt disease incidence was higher in district Sargodha (94%) followed by Faisalabad (92%) and Khushab (65%). Two districts, Pakpattan and Hafizabad showed 86% and 73% incidence, respectively. The survey revealed that tomato disease incidence was prevalent with varying intensities in all surveyed districts of Punjab. Moreover, the variation in disease prevalence of tomato wilt disease in different locations was due to the environmental conditions of that area and the varieties being cultivated.