Work

Mapping and candidate gene identification of the tomato leaf mold resistance gene Cf-13

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Tomato leaf mold disease caused by infection by Cladosporium fulvum is an important threat that restricts tomato production. The resistance of tomatoes to this pathogen usually depends on the Cf gene family. However, the emergence of new physiological races has resulted in resistance being overcome in many commercial cultivars that carry Cf genes, making effective resistance genes increasingly limited. While the Cf-13 gene is known to be involved in resistance to tomato leaf mold, it has not yet been cloned. In this study, genetic analysis of Ont7813 (which carries the Cf-13 gene) and Moneymaker suggested that the genetic pattern of Cf-13 is single-gene dominant inheritance. Using bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) and genetic mapping, we successfully mapped the tomato leaf mold resistance gene Cf-13 to a 2.4 Mb interval on chromosome 6. This target region contains 40 candidate genes harboring non-synonymous SNPs/Indels within their coding sequences. Upon analysis, we speculate that Solyc06g033920 (annotated as a receptor-like protein, RLP) is the primary candidate gene for Cf-13 . To verify its function, we specifically silenced this gene in the disease-resistant material Ont7813 using virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology. The results showed that silencing Solyc06g033920 reduced the resistance of the plants to C. fulvum . This research provides important genetic resources and a theoretical basis for the exploration of disease resistance genes and the breeding of disease-resistant varieties.

Source: Scientia Horticulturae

DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2026.114920