Bacterial pathogens of tomato plants and fruit: identification population diversity and control

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) is the world’s most important vegetable after potato (Panthee & Chen, 2010). The tomato fruit are rich in carotene, carotenoid and lycopene which are antioxidants (Agarwal & Rao, 2000). Lycopene has been shown to protect human cells from oxygen damage which has been related to its ability to reduce the risk of heart diseases (Agarwal & Rao, 2000; Stoyanova et al., 2014). The fruits are nutritious, rich in vitamins A and C, have high potassium phosphates, calcium and magnesium (Miller, 2002). They can be eaten raw, boiled or fried as stews, sundried and processed to powder (Devi et al., 2008). Tomato fruits are also the most canned vegetable in the world, used for purees, pickle and ketchup (tomato sauce) which are used regularly in most households (Panthee & Chen, 2010).