Performance of tomato cultivars under natural tomato yellow leaf curl disease pressure in Georgia

Authors: ACHARYA, NIRMALA - University Of Georgia; KUMAR, MANISH - University Of Georgia; BAG, SUDEEP - University Of Georgia; TORRANCE, TY - University Of Georgia; CLOUD, CALE - University Of Georgia; Simmons, Alvin; SUAREZ, EMILIO - University Of Georgia; MCAVOY, THEODORE - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Plant Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/22/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The tomato yellow leaf curl disease is a serious problem in commercial tomato production. This disease is transmitted by whiteflies and is associated with the tomato yellow leaf curl virus and tomato chlorosis virus in the Southeastern USA. A field study was done to assess the performance of six tomato cultivars that contain disease resistant genes. Overall, tomato cultivars Camaro, Grand Marshall, Jolene, and STM 2255 were the best performers based on moderate to low level of infection and low severity of tomato yellow leaf curl disease while also having superior yield as compared with a susceptible cultivar. These results will be useful for both the agricultural community and the research community.

Technical Abstract: The severity of tomato yellow leaf curl disease (TYLCD) in commercially grown tomato cultivars has been increasingly exacerbated by the complex association between tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) in the Southeastern U.S.A. Four research trials were conducted over two consecutive fall seasons to assess the performance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars incorporated with single or combinations of Ty-resistance gene(s) in south Georgia, U.S.A. In 2022, studies were conducted in a field of a commercial farmer in Colquitt County and in a field on a research farm in Tift County. In 2023, experiments were performed in a field of a commercial farm in Grady County and in a field on research farm in Tift County. Tomato cultivars with intermediate resistance to tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV-IR), including Camaro, Grand Marshall, Jolene, Red Snapper, STM 2255, and Varsity, were compared to a TYLCV-susceptible (TYLCV-s) cultivar Myrtle for TYLCD incidence and severity, and yield. All TYLCV-IR cultivars, except Red Snapper, had a lower area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) for virus incidence than Myrtle. Cultivars Grand Marshall and Jolene exhibited the lowest AUDPC, and were similar to cultivars STM 2255, Camaro, and Varsity, but lower than Red Snapper. Furthermore, cultivars Grand Marshall and Jolene had significantly lower TYLCD severity than Myrtle. Moreover, fruit yields were highest for cultivars Camaro, Grand Marshall, Jolene, and STM 2255. Overall, Camaro, Grand Marshall, Jolene, and STM 2255 performed the best based on moderate-to-low TYLCD incidence and severity, and superior yield among the evaluated cultivars.