Abstract
Wilt is one of the major diseases causing economic losses in many crops. It is caused by infections of many bacterial (Ralstonia solanacearum), fungal (Fusarium spp., Vertcillium spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Sclerotium spp.), oomycete (Pythium spp., Phytophthora spp.) and viral (Tomato spotted wilt virus) pathogens. This review provides an overview on the control strategies used in other countries for the wilt disease in highly susceptible vegetable/fruit crops; tomato and chilli and make comparisons with Sri Lanka.Many studies have been performed on the prevalence, severity, pathogenicity and the control of these infections in both crops worldwide. Wilt in tomato is caused mainly by Ralstonia solanacearum and Fusarium oxysporum and in chilli mainly by Fusarium oxysporum. Tomato bacterial wilt is successfully managed through usage of resistant cultivars, grafting, biological control agents, inducing host systemic resistance and integrated management. Tomato and chilli wilt caused by Fusarium sp. have been successfully controlled mainly through the application of chemicals and biological approaches such as systemic defense induction and the use of microbial antagonists.In Sri Lanka, tomato wilt is reported as being the result of bacterial, fungal and viral infections which have been mainly controlled by the usage of resistant cultivars, physical measures and cultural practices. Chilli wilt in Sri Lanka has not been thoroughly studied yet. But application of fungicides has been an effective strategy for fungal wilts. Wilt threat of tomato and chilli in Sri Lanka has to be further studied for the proper management of these infections and for freeing tomato and chilli cultivations from the wilt disease.
Highlights
Significance of tomato and chilliTomato, used as a vegetable and chilli as a spice, owe a prominent place in a balanced diet
Pre-harvest infections include wilt diseases, damping off, other fungal, bacterial and viral infections while the main postharvest damage of chilli is anthracnose caused by a fungal infection in addition to mechanical damage
Bacterial wilt disease is mainly caused by several bacterial species belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Corynebacterium, Erwinia and Xanthomonas
Summary
Tomato, used as a vegetable and chilli as a spice, owe a prominent place in a balanced diet. Tomato is a highly demanded, nutritive vegetable mainly in vegetarian diets throughout the world. It is a good source of vitamins C and A and minerals such as Fe and Cu (Siemers, 1971). Constraints to commercial chilli production include both pre-harvest and postharvest damage caused by phytopathogens. Pre-harvest infections include wilt diseases, damping off, other fungal, bacterial and viral infections while the main postharvest damage of chilli is anthracnose caused by a fungal infection in addition to mechanical damage. Common pathogenic infections on chilli include anthracnose, bacterial leaf spot, bacterial soft rot, bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt, cercospora leaf spot, damping off, powdery mildew, verticillium wilt and various viral infections (Pea enation mosaic virus (PeMV), Tobacco etch virus (TEV), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)). It was recorded that wilt is one of the major diseases causing the highest preharvest losses
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