Geographical distribution and prevalence of the main tomato fungal wilt diseases in Benin

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most economically important vegetable crops in Benin and its production represents more than 51% of the total production of vegetable crops. The ecological peculiarity of its farming exposes it to diseases and pests. Tomato wilt constitutes the major phytosanitary constraint for its production. To identify the causal agents, a survey was carried out across the 12 departments of Benin. Three districts were selected per department and three villages in each district were surveyed. Two farmer’s fields were visited per village where five diseased plants were collected per field. Three pathogens identified from the samples collected in the diseased fields: Sclerotium rolfsii, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and F. solani. Pathogenicity test conducted for each of the isolated pathogens was positive. The symptoms observed in greenhouse were exactly the same as those recorded in the field. The prévalence of tomato wilting recorded in farmer’s fields varies from 0.1% to 27% for S. rolfsii, from 3% to 20% for F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, and from 1% to 3% for F. solani. The most disseminated and most devastating pathogen was S. rolfsii. F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and F. solani were less disseminated and less devastating pathogens.