Among the different integrated approaches for management of Fusarium wilt and their effect on growth and yield parameters of tomato revealed that soil application of FYM @ 100gm/pot + Neem cake @ 100gm/pot + seedling treatment with bio-formulation of Azotobater @ 5% + foliar spray of Carbendazim @ 0.1% was showing minimum disease incidence with 6.23, 10.11 and 15.03 per cent at 7, 14 and 21 days after inoculation, respectively. The observations on plant height of tomato was found in T3 treatment representing the value 17.00, 18.85, 20.66, 22.10, 24.10 and 27.30 cm at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days age of seedling, respectively against the minimum plant height i.e. 10.42, 10.92, 11.56, 11.76, and 12.55 in case of control (T10). The effect of integrated approach on branching of shoot in tomato was estimated at 85 days age of plant which revealed the maximum number of branch with 5.00 was found in case of soil application of FYM @ 100gm/pot + Neem cake@ 100gm/pot + seedling treatment with bio-formulation of Azotobater @ 5% + foliar spray of Carbendazim @ 0.1% whereas, in case of control it was only 2.33. The morphological character of roots was examined and recorded developed robust root system in T3 treatment while the less fibrous, weakly developed roots in control. The maximum yield was recorded per plant in T3 treatment (soil application of FYM @ 100gm/pot + Neem cake @ 100gm/pot + seedling treatment with bio-formulation of Azotobator @ 5% +foliar spray of Carbendazim @0.1%.) represented the value 490.30g per plant. Similarly, the maximum large size tuber with 4 in number was recorded in treatment T3 (soil application of FYM@ 100gm/pot+ Neem cake@ 100gm/pot + seedling treatment with bio-formulation of Azotobator@5% +foliar spray of Carbendazim @ 0.1%) followed by treatment T9 (Soil application of FYM @ 100 gm/pot + Neem cake @ 100 gm +seedling treatment with bio-formulation of T. viride + foliar spray Carbendazim @0.1%) as 03.

Tomato leaves showing severe leaf spot symptoms have been observed and sampled in the central west and southwest Taiwan during 2015 and 2016. The symptoms were similar to those of bacterial leaf spot/late blight diseases, but only Stemphylium-like fungi were consistently isolated from the diseased tomato. Upon spray inoculation of tomato, Stemphylium-like isolates caused leaf spot symptoms identical to those of naturally infected plants, and the pathogenic isolates were successfully re-isolated from inoculated leaves. The tomato-pathogenic isolates were identified as S. lycopersici based on morphological characterization and molecular identification. S. lycopersici has been previously reported to cause gray leaf spot of tomato in the temperate regions, but the majority of S. lycopersici-caused lesions were black/dark brown rather than gray in our surveillance. Accordingly, it is suggested that S. lycopersici-caused disease of tomato is named Stemphylium leaf spot of tomato more appropriately than tomato gray leaf spot. Moreover, S. lycopersici-caused leaf spot disease on tomato has been distributed in major tomato production regions in Taiwan. The information provided by our study will be important for future breeding of tomato cultivars, especially for tomato producers in Taiwan.

Over the last few decades, accelerated growth of Mexican tomato imports to the United States has caused several trade disputes with U.S. growers. A data-driven approach was used to analyze trade flows in the tomato industry from 1970 to 2015 and all structural changes to policy interventions implemented during the same period were linked. Tests for endogenous breakpoints reveal that NAFTA and trade pricing policies are two of the main factors that caused structural changes in the tomato industry in 1992 and 1999. While U.S. agricultural policies sought to protect domestic tomato producers, they did not stop Mexican tomatoes from taking an important share of the U.S. market. Mexican imports to the United States, especially post-NAFTA, have a high explanatory power for U.S. domestic production.

A plant growth-promoting bacteria, Azospirillum sp. B510, isolated from rice, can enhance growth and yield and induce disease resistance against various types of diseases in rice. Because little is known about the interaction between other plant species and this strain, we have investigated the effect of its colonization on disease resistance in tomato plants. Treatment with this strain by soil-drenching method established endophytic colonization in root tissues in tomato plant. The endophytic colonization with this strain-induced disease resistance in tomato plant against bacterial leaf spot caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea. In Azospirillum-treated plants, neither the accumulation of SA nor the expression of defense-related genes was observed. These indicate that endophytic colonization with Azospirillum sp. B510 is able to activate the innate immune system also in tomato, which does not seem to be systemic acquired resistance.

The predators Macrolophus basicornis (Stal), Engytatus varians (Distant) and Campyloneuropsis infumatus (Carvalho) consume large numbers of tomato pests such as Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). However, they are zoophytophagous and feed on plant parts as well. We evaluated the type and effect of injury caused by nymphs and adults of these mirids on tomato seedlings and fruit in the absence of prey. For each mirid species, seedlings were exposed to groups of 20 nymphs or adults for 72 h, and fruits were exposed for 48 h to groups of four nymphs or adults. Type and the number of injury on stems, petioles and leaflets of tomato seedlings and fruits were recorded after removal of insects. Nymphs and adults of these mirids caused necrotic rings on the leaflets, but no injury was observed on stem and petioles. The necrotic rings on leaflets consisted of blemishes, characterized by feeding punctures surrounded by a yellowish, bleached area. The number of necrotic rings did not exceed one per individual mirid and seedlings developed normally. Nymphs also caused feeding punctures on tomato fruit, but in even lower numbers than on leaflets. Two weeks after the start of the experiment the tomato fruit still looked fresh and feeding punctures had disappeared. Adults did not cause any injury to tomato fruit. The results indicate that nymphs and adults of these zoophytophagous mirids cause little injury to tomato seedlings and fruit, even when present in high densities and in the absence of prey, making them interesting candidates for biological control.

Tomato fruits with typical anthracnose symptoms of small, sunken, dark brown lesions were observed in the farmers fields in Jalna, Maharashtra, India. Based on morphological and molecular characterization, the fungus was identified as Colletotrichum truncatum, which is reported for the first time causing anthracnose on tomato in India.

Allelopathic grass, Cenchrus pennisetiformis plant material (CPPM) was used to manage Fusarium wilt of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL) under abiotic stress of Cr(III) and Cr(VI). Both biotic and abiotic stresses caused wide variations in metabolic reactions of the plant with up or down regulation of total protein content and activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase). Real-time PCR results revealed variability in expression pattern of chitinase and metallothionein like gene in all treatments. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra of tomato leaf showed major changes in region of protein (amides I and II), lipid and carbohydrate. Tomato plant exhibited more tendency to uptake Cr(VI) than Cr(III). Soil amendments with 2% CPPM showed remarkable potential to decrease both biotic and abiotic stresses by decreasing disease and mortality through altering plant physiology, gene expression and molecular configuration of tomato plant.

A 2‐year comprehensive field survey was conducted across major tomato‐growing areas of Iran. Two hundred and thirty‐four tomato fields and six tomato‐producing greenhouses were surveyed for the potential presence of bacterial spot disease. Five hundred and ninety‐six tomato samples with and without symptoms were analysed. While Xanthomonas spp. were found in association with tomato plants both with and without symptoms from five surveyed counties, the bacterial spot disease was observed only in plants from three of them. Only strains isolated from plants with symptoms induced disease symptoms on tomato, while those isolated from symptomless plants caused symptoms only on cabbage and common bean. None of the isolates caused disease symptoms on pepper and eggplant. Phylogenetic analysis showed that X. perforans is the causal agent of tomato bacterial spot in Iran, although X. campestris and X. axonopodis were also associated with symptomless tomato plants. All X. perforans isolates in this study were sensitive to streptomycin, copper sulphate and copper oxychloride at concentrations of 50 mg L⁻¹, 200 mg L⁻¹ and 0.8 g L⁻¹, respectively. Unlike the type strain of X. perforans, isolates in this study did not produce bacteriocin against other Xanthomonas spp., nor were they detected using the usual species‐specific primer pair Bs‐XpF/Bs‐XpR. This suggests an atypical nature of X. perforans strains in Iran, which leads to the hypothesis that X. perforans strains in Iran may have a separate origin to those causing disease epidemics elsewhere. The aggregated dispersal pattern of the diseased tomato fields signifies the seedborne introduction of the pathogen into the country.

Field experiments were conducted at the North Central Agricultural Research Station in Fremont, OH in 2009 and 2010 to evaluate the tolerance of tomato to fomesafen and the efficacy of this herbicide on weed control. The crop was machine-transplanted in June 5, 2009 and June 3, 2010. Herbicide treatments were applied using a CO₂ pressurized (276 kPa) backpack sprayer with 8002VS nozzle tips delivering 234 L ha⁻¹. Pre-transplant (PRETP) treatments were applied on June 4, 2009, and May 27, 2010. Treatments included fomesafen at 280, 350, 420, 560, and 840 g ai ha⁻¹. Minimal crop injury was observed 7 and 14 d after treatment (DAT) in plots treated with fomesafen at 840 g ha⁻¹ both years. None of the treatments caused crop injury either year at 42 DAT. Fomesafen at the highest rate provided acceptable annual grass, common purslane, and redroot pigweed control 42 DAT. Tomato yield was not reduced by the application of fomesafen. Registration of fomesafen herbicide would provide tomato growers an opportunity to control weeds caused by late emergence or poor initial control following a burndown herbicide application in tomato. Nomenclature: Fomesafen, tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.