Plant Pathology Infobytes

April 9, 1998
Resistant Tomato Varieties - The Best Approach to Wilt and Nematode Problems

No doubt about it! Vegetable gardeners who've fought tomato Fusarium wilt and root-knot nematodes in past seasons should give disease and nematode resistant varieties a try.

This approach to these problems is especially important when gardening space is limited, and it's necessary to plant in the same area each year. Pests buildup under these conditions and production of a healthy tomato crop can become a real gardening challenge.

The tomato varieties listed below are examples of those which may be used by gardeners to avoid fungus wilt and root-knot nematode losses this spring. When purchasing transplants, look for those which carry the "VFN" designation on the variety identification tag.

"VFN" indicates the variety is resistant to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt (generally both races of the Fusarium wilt fungus), and root-knot nematodes. Varieties which carry a "T" designation are also resistant to tobacco mosaic virus, a disease which often causes problems for tomato gardeners.

Varieties which carry the designation "VF" only are resistant to Verticillium and Fusarium wilts but not resistant to root-knot nematodes.

Large Fruit Varieties

  • Park's Whopper Improved VFNT
  • Better Boy VFN
  • Lemon Boy VFN
  • Enchantment VFN
  • Celebrity VFNT
  • Floramerica VF
  • Sunmaster VF
  • Mountain Delight VF
  • Mountain Pride VF
  • Mountain Spring VF
  • Sunny VF

Giant Beefsteaks Varieties

  • Big Beef VFNT
  • Beefmaster VFN

Small Fruits Varieties

  • Sweet Chelsea VFNT
  • Small Fry VFN
  • Supersweet 100 VF
  • Cherry Grande VF

Patio Tomatoes Variety

  • Patio VF

Check with your garden supply store for other varieties which are resistant to fungus wilts and root-knot nematodes. Remember that while these varieties are resistant to certain diseases, there is no single variety which is resistant to all diseases which affect the crop. So, you'll still have to maintain a fungicide application program for early blight, Septoria leaf spot, and some of the other fungus and bacterial diseases for which resistant varieties aren't widely available.

Additional information on pest control in the spring garden is available at the County Extension Office. Check with us for free publications which contain information to help improve your chances of gardening success this season.


Written by the late Dr. Frank Killebrew

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