Research Programs |
Bacterial Leaf Spot Resistance
Bacterial Leaf Spot has been the major unsolved disease problem in fresh market Florida tomatoes for over 30 years. Chemical treatments based on copper have led to the selection of copper resistant pathogens and no longer have useful effect, and yet they continued to be used despite negative environmental impacts. Other more benign treatments, such as bacterial viruses and systemic inducers of disease resistance have been tested, but these compounds are considerably more expensive than copper, require special handling and storage, and are only mildly effective.
Disease resistance genes have been sought in tomato and its wild relatives, but to date none have been isolated or bred into commercial tomato lines. Disease resistance does exist in pepper, a close relative of tomato, and a gene known as Bs2 was isolated and found to confer resistance in both species.
2Blades currently supports research to transfer Bs2 into a high-performing Florida tomato variety, and we have demonstrated a significant positive impact on plant health and fruit yield over five years of multi-site field trials in Florida
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