Date: Monday, September 25, 2023
Time: 3:00pm
Speaker: Dr. Dilip Panthee
Title: Breeding for Disease Resistance and Fruit Quality in Tomato at NC State University (Post-tenure Review)

Location (Hybrid): 121 Kilgore Hall
Join Zoom Meeting: https://ncsu.zoom.us/j/93256941569?pwd=RHpJQmZaamZBbG0yMzZKVkQ1RDllQT09
Meeting ID: 932 5694 1569
Passcode: 320214

 Seminar_Dilip Panthee_9.25.23.pdf

Abstract
Tomatoes are a global industry worth $1.4 billion, with North Carolina contributing $35 million annually from 3,200 acres of cultivated land.  The breeding objectives of the NC State Tomato Breeding program include improving their disease resistance and fruit quality.  In North Carolina, bacterial wilt (BW), bacterial spot (BSx), bacterial speck (BSp), early blight (EB), fusarium wilt (FW), late blight (LB), septoria leaf spot (SLS), tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), and root-knot nematodes (RKN) are important diseases to be addressed.  Although significant progress has been made, especially on fresh-market tomatoes, we must continue breeding efforts to tackle the newly emerging issues of pests and diseases.  For instance, the outbreak of tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) in the Summer of 2018 highlights the importance of continuously improving tomatoes for ToMV resistance.  Tomatoes face similar issues, including bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases.  Fruit quality is measured by parameters such as lycopene and flavor.  In this presentation, we will discuss the ongoing breeding efforts to address these issues in tomatoes, using both conventional and molecular breeding approaches.