Response of wild populations of Solanum lycopersicum L. to Ralstonia solanacearum during germination and seedling stages

Abstract

Wild tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) constitute an enormous reservoir of genetic variability, and their use has led to significant advances in the genetic improvement of cultivated tomatoes. The objective of this research was to identify wild tomato populations tolerant to Ralstonia solanacearum in the germination and seedling stages, establishing them as base material for genetic improvement programs. Ten tomato populations were inoculated with the Ralstonia solanacearum strain coded RsTB1. The germination test was performed in a germination chamber set at a constant temperature of 27 ± 2 °C with a relative humidity of 70 ± 5%. The populations were kept in darkness for the first three days and under laboratory conditions for seven days. Cluster analysis identified six populations with tolerance to the pathogen (p ≤ 0.05). Tolerant populations were identified in both phenological stages, suggesting that tolerance mechanisms act similarly at each stage. These results highlight the potential of wild tomato populations as source material for genetic improvement programs aimed at managing bacterial wilt.