Field Testing Bacterial Wilt-resistant Tomato Somaclones

Abstract

`Healani' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) somaclones were tested in a bacterial wilt (Pseudomonas solanacearum E.F. Smith) infected field. Survival percentages of selected somaclonal lines were from 40% to 100%, while the original `Healani' had a survival rate of 0% and resistant `Kewalo' had 30%. Eighteen bacterial wilt resistant somaclonal lines were selected and tested for retention of horticultural characters in a noninfected field. `Healani' significantly outyielded all tested somaclonal lines in total fruit weight and total number of fruit per plant. `Healani' had greater fruit diameter than seven of the lines, greater width of the outer wall of the fruit pericarp than seventeen of the lines, and fewer locules in the fruit than seven of the lines.