Work

Bacteria Causing Pith Necrosis and Tissue Discoloration in Tomato

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Tomato is one of the most widely cultivated and consumed vegetables in Costa Rica, where favorable environmental conditions enabled year-round production. However, these same conditions also promote the development of plant diseases. Diverse bacterial infections causing pith necrosis in tomato crops have become of frequent observation in recent years. Nevertheless, the causal agents in Costa Rica remain unidentified, and management strategies are poorly documented. This study evaluated the pathogenicity of bacterial isolates obtained from tomato plants collected in Costa Rica’s Central Valley. Isolates of Pseudomonas alliivorans, P. flavescens, and P. capsici were identified as causal agents of pith necrosis in tomatoes. Additionally, P. straminea and Cedecea sp. were associated with tissue discoloration. These findings provide valuable information to the tomato production sector in Costa Rica by identifying previously unreported pathogenic bacteria and expanding their known distribution and host ranges. These findings also demonstrate the ability of these isolates to cause pith necrosis.

Source: Horticulturae

DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae11111362

Authors: Darío Alvarado-Rodríguez, Gabriel Vargas Asensio, Fernando García-Santamaría, Walter Barrantes-Santamaría, Mónica Blanco-Meneses

Institution: Universidad de Costa Rica

Language: English

Topic: Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Studies

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,654