Tomato Gene Pool increased via hybridization methods

images compliments of Roger Chetelat & Valerie Williamson, UC Davis

Tomato production was threatened due to root infections by

nematodes (microscopic worms).

All tomato cultivars were susceptible to nematode infections.

Long Description: The size of the tomato gene pool is represented as a small rectangle.

Long Description: Hybridization of tomato with closely-related wild species increases the size of the gene pool available for tomato crop improvement. The tomato gene pool is represented as a small box. This is surrounded by a larger box representing the gene pool of the sexually-compatible wild species L. pimpinellifolium, L. cheesmanii, L. parviflorum, L. cheesmanii, L. hirsutum, andL. penellii.

Unfortunately, none of these species contained any genes for resistance to root infection by nematodes.

Long Description: Photo of the normal fibrous structure of healthy tomato roots.

Long Description: Photo of the swollen distorted structure of nematode-infected tomato roots.

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