Molecular screening of diverse Tomato germplasm for root-knot nematode resistance using the Mi23 marker

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), an important vegetable and horticultural crop, provides significant health benefits. The quality and yield of tomato plants are drastically impacted by root-knot nematode (RKN) a group of obligate parasites. In the current study, 212 tomato genotypes collected from diverse geographical regions, including Türkiye, France, Taiwan, and others, were molecularly screened using the Mi23 primer pair (Mi23-F/Mi23-R) to detect the presence of the Mi-1.2 resistance gene. The results of the molecular screening revealed that a total of six genotypes: three homozygous genotypes, Romitel-RHT 3 (France), AVTO0102-CLN2366B, and AVTO0101-CLN2413D (Taiwan), and three heterozygous genotypes, Aysbars-F1, Italian Field (To-23), and Red Pole (To-25) (Türkiye) amplified with a required band size of 380 bp. Notably, 206 genotypes including those from the USA Germany, and Kyrgyzstan, lacked the Mi-1.2 resistance gene, exhibiting susceptibility to RKN. These findings highlight the significance role of molecular markers in identifying and utilizing nematode-resistant genes to enhance tomato breeding programs for robust and disease-resistant cultivars.