P O S T - H A R V E S T D I S E A S E S OF T O M A T O IN I N D I A

by
M. P. SRIVASTAVA & R. N. TANDON
Department o/Botany, University o/ Allahabad, Allahabad-2, India
(with 14 figs.)
(29.IV.1965)
INTRODUCTION
Post-harvest diseases are those which develop during storage,
transit and marketing. In general the term storage refers to any
condition under which agricultural products are held following the
harvest. Tomato belongs to nightshade family (Solanaceae), the
fruits are rich in ascorbic acid and are used as vegetables. Tomatoes
are subject to a number of diseases caused b y fungi and bacteria
both during the pre- and the post-harvest phase. In India no de-
tailed survey has been made on the post-harvest diseases of tomato.
Only a few scattered reports have been published by different work-
ers which include the work of NEE~A (1952) on Oospora rot,
JosHI & SAXENA (1957) on Rhizoctonia rot, TANDON & SRIVASTAVA
(1963) on Myrothecium rot,TANDON & KAKKAR (1964) on Curvu-
laria rot. The present paper deals with a comprehensive study of
the various fungal diseases of tomato in India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Methods of collection, isolations of the pathogens and their puri-
fications were similar to those described in an earlier paper (SRIVA-
STAVA et al., 1964). Symptoms were studied both b y naturally as
well as b y artificially inoculated material. Identity of the causal or-
ganism was established b y studying the morphology of the fungus
both under natural as well as cultural conditions. GRANGER &
HORNE'S (1924) method was employed for inoculating the fruits.

DISEASES
In all, nine diseases were observed:
1. A l t e r n a r i a rot
The disease is of common occurrence in storage and marketing
and usually- injured, chilled and sunscald fruits are affected.
 POST-HARVEST DISEASI~S O F TOMATO 255

Figs. 1 and 2. Alternaria rot of tomato.

Symptoms: Alternaria rot is characterized by the production of

brown coloured spots, which are usually sunken and irregular in
outline. Occasionally these spots are surrounded by a yellow halo.
Subsequently they get covered by dense, velvety, olive green or
black conidial masses of the causal organism. The lesions are firm
and the rot extends into the pulp of the fruit (Fig. 1).
256 M. P. SRIVASTAVA ~ R. N. TANDON

After injuries such as sunscald and blossom-end rot, it develops

rapidly inside the dead tissue producing scanty fungal growth
(rig. 2).
The causal organism: The disease is caused by Alternaria tenuis
Auct. which profusely sporulates over the infected tissue produc-
ing olive green spore masses, Spores are clavate to obclavate, mu-
riform, slightly constricted at the septa, buffy brown to olive brown
with 2--4 longitudinal and 3--7 transverse septa and a short beak.
They measure 18.5--76.8X 11.0--23.4 # (Fig. 3). The spores of the
present form are slightly bigger in dimension than those mentioned
by NEERGAARD (p. 114, 1945).
The fungus is a weak pathogen and only causes infection after
some iniury to the fruit.

Fig. 3. Coaidia of Alternaria tenuis, × 800.

2. Anthracnose
The disease occurs widely and usually only ripe fruits are involved.
Symptoms: In the beginning the lesions produced by the pathogen
are small, circular, slightly depressed and water-soaked. Subse-
quently they increase in size, become darker and develop cream to
salmon coloured spore masses in the centre, which at a later stage
appear as dark dots. On ripened fruits the spots increase in size
and the decay penetrates deeply into the flesh (Fig. 4).
The causal organism: A careful examination of the dot like bodies
'the acervuli', as well as isolations yielded a species of Colletotrichum
CORI)A having small, black stromata with m a n y black, sharply
tipped, persistent setae (Fig. 5) and Vermicularia like single celled,
 POST-HARVEST DISEASES OF TOMATO 257

Fig. 4. Anthracr~ose of t o m a t o .

hyaline, curved spores (Fig. 6), 16.4..22.8 × 3.~--4.0 # in size. On

the basis of the above morphological details the isolate was iden-
tified as Colletotrichum dematium (PERS. ex FR.) GROVE. C. dematium
is also known to infect the stalks of tomatoes and potatoes.
C. dematium was not previously known to occur on tomatoes in
India. Only C. phomoides (SAcc.) CHESTERhas been listed by UPPAL
et al. (1935).

Fig. 5. Acervulus a n d conidia of Colletotrichum demalium, × I00.

Fig. 6. Conidia of C. dematium, × 600.
258 M.P. SRIVAST&VA & R. N. TANDON

3. C l a d o s p o r i u m rot
Cladosporium rot is a minor disease of tomato. Usually foggy
and rainy weather favours the spread of the disease. Generally
injured fruits are affected.
Symptoms: The disease starts as a small light brown spot which
enlarges and gets slightly depressed. The centre of the lesion at-
tains a dark brown colouration and the margin remains light brown.
Under humid conditions dark olive green mould appears on the
diseased areas. The rot does not proceed deep in the pulp and is
usually limited to the outer wall of the fruit. In general the devel-
opment of the decay is comparatively slow. The affected tissue re-
mains markedly firm.
The causal organism: Clado@orium/ulvumCootiE, the causal fun-
gus of leaf mould of tomato, also causes Cladosporium rot of the
fruits of tomato. Usually conidia formed on the lesions are ellip-
tical, one or two celled, scarcely constricted at tile septa, pale to
yellowish brown, 10.0--16.4 X 4.0--5.0 #.
4. F u s a r i u m rot
The disease is more destructive to ripe fruits; half ripe fruits
are rarely affected.
Symptoms: Fusarium rot is characterized b y the production of
water soaked lesions which become shrunken and are accompa-
nied b y softening and wrinkling of the affected tissues. Often the
causal fungus appears early at the centre of the spot which is

Fig. 7. F u s a r i u m r o t of t o m a t o .
Fig. 8. Conidia of F u s a r i u m r o s e u m , × 800.
 POST-HARVEST DISEASES OF TOMATO 259

slightly raised and is whitish to pinkish in colour. Tile decay pro-

gresses rapidly and within a few days it causes a soft disintegration
of the pulp (Fig. 7).
The causal organism: Microscopic examination of the Iungal growth
as well as isolations from infected regions revealed that the disease
is caused by F u s a r i u m roseum LINI~. The pathogen sporulates over
the diseased areas and produces 3--5 celled macroconidia, hyaline
with slightly pointed and curved ends 82.5--54.4×8.6--5.4 # in
size (Fig. 8). Spores are slightly thicker than the type specimen.
5. M a l u s t e l a rot
Malustela rot of tomato is new to science. Both half ripe as well
as ripe fluffs m a y be affected due to this disease.
Symptoms: Lesions produced by the pathogen on the ripe fruits
are irregular in shape, about an inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. They
are usually covered by a dense weft of black spore masses of the
fungus (Fig. 9).
External appearance of such lesions can sometimes be confused
with Alternaria rot, but the presence of the causal fungus is the
most important diagnostic character of this decay,
The rot produced by the pathogen is firm and is not accompanied
b y any offensive smell.

Fig. 9. Malustela rot of tomato.

The causal organism: The rot causing pathogen was identified as

Malustela aeria BASTISTA, LIMA & VASCONCELOS, a pathogen not
previously known to infect tomatoes.
The fungus produces grey mycetium, branched and septate,
:2.5--3.5 # in thickness. Synnemata are branched, very much elon-
:gated, usually reaching upto 4.5 mm in length, covered with coni-
,diophores bearing conidia (Fig. 10). Conidiophores are olive grey
260 M.P. SRIVASTAVA • R. N. TANDON

in colour unbranched, septate, elongated and variable in length,

3.0--1.0 # in thickness. Conidia are curved, usually 3--4 celled,
16.0--30.4×8.0--10.5# in size (Fig. 11). The conida are slightly
bigger in size than the type described by BATISTA et al. (1960).

Fig. 10. S y n n e m a t a of Malustela aeria, × 75.

Fig. 11. Conidiophore and conidia of ~/I. aeria, × 800.

6. M y r o t h e c i u m rot
The disease is also called 'ring rot' on account of the production
of alternating concentric rings of dark green spore masses and
white fluffy fungal growth of the pathogen over the lesion.
The disease was first noticed by the authors in November 1962,
and since then it has regularly been observed in storage.
Symptoms: It is characterized by the production of large conspic-
uous, well defined lesions which are usually slightly sunken. At
later stages they become covered with alternating rings of dark
green viscid spore mass and white woolly mycelium (Fig. 12).
The causal organism: The infection is brought about by Myrothe-
 POST-HARVEST DISEASES OF TOMATO 261

cium roridum TODE ex FR. having one celled, cylindrical, hyaline

or subhyaline, biguttulate conidia, 6--10 × 2.3 # (av. 8.0--2.2/~).
The spore mass appears dark green or black in colour.

Fig. 12. Myrothecium rot ol tomato.

Fig. 13. Oospora rot ol tomato.

362 ~.{. P. SRIVASTAVA • R. N, TANDON

7. O o s p o r a rot
The rot is also known as watery rot (PRITCHARD & PORTE, 1923)
which is the cause of a common decay of ripe tomatoes in storage.
Symptoms: The affected tissues appear soft and water soaked. The
skin frequently cracks over the lesions and is usually covered with
white fluffy fungal growth. The decay progresses rapidly and caus-
es a characteristic watery rot. Such affected fruits emit a fermented
odour (Fig. 13).
The causal organism: It is caused by Oospora lactis f. parasitica
PRITCHARD & PORTE, The fungus sporulates in conidial chains.
Conidia are hyaline, round or oval and smooth varying in size, from
6.0--.32.5 X 2.5--6.0 ]~.
8. P h o m a rot
It causes minor losses of tomatoes during storage. The disease
occurs widely during the colder part of the season.
Symptoms: The disease is characterized by the appearance of one
or few slightly sunken, light brown or whitish spots. As the spots
enlarge they get markedly depressed and due to their coalesion,
they often attain an irregular shape. At a latter stage the sunken
spots get dotted with minute brownish black fruiting bodies, the
'pycnidia'. The margins of the lesions have a dark brown colour and
are raised above the sunken infected tissue (Fig. 14).

Fig. 14, P h o m a rot of tomato.

The decay penetrates deep in the pulp and the affected tissues
turn dark brown or black in colour but such areas remain firm.
The causal organism: The disease is caused by a species of Phoma
which produces minute pycnidia, spherical or ovoid in shape and
175--3003~ in size. Conidiphores simple and short; conidia cylin-
drical, one celled, hyaline, guttulate, 5.4--8.5 × 2.0--3.0 #. The cul-
ture was sent to C.M.I., Kew and Mr. B. C. SUTTONcould not accom-
 POST-HARVEST DISEASES OF TOMATO 263

modate it among the known species of Phoma and it ,also appears

to be different from the one described by JAMIESOS (1915) on to-
mato fruits.
9. Rhizopus rot
Rhizopus rot causes severe losses of tomatoes in transit and stor-
age. Fruits affected with this decay are completely destroyed.
Symptoms: Usually large watersoaked lesions appear on the sur-
face of the fruit. They increase rapidly. The rot penetrates deeply
into the tissues of the pulp and causes a soft rot. Ultimately such
fruits get collapsed into a wrinkled, soft shapeless mass which gets
covered by thick cottony mycelium with immature white and ma-
ture black sporangial heads.
The causal organism: The decay is caused by Rhiz@us nigricans
EHRENBERG, which is cosmopolitan in occurrence. It has also been
observed that during storage, the decay spreads by contact be-
tween diseased and ripe, healthy tomatoes.

Summary
A systematic account of nine fungal diseases of tomatoes caused
by Alternaria tenuis, Colletotrichum dematium, Cladosporium /ulw~m,
Fusarium roseum, Malustda aeria, Myrothecium roridum, Oospora
lactis /. parasitica, Photos sp. and Rhizopus nigricans during stor-
age has been given. Except 0ospora rot the other diseases included
in the present paper have not been recorded previously from India.
Post-harvest decay of tomatoes due to Malustela aeria has not been
described from any part of the world and is new to science.

Acknowledgements
The authors are deeply indebted to Dr. J. C. F. HOPKINS, Ex-
Dkector, Mr. B. C. SUTTON,Mycologist, Commonwealth Mycolog-
ical Institute, Kew, England and Dr. W. C. SNYD~R, Professor
of Plant Pathology, University of California, Berkeley for their
help in the identification of some of the pathogens. The authors
also wish to thank the Director, M.Q.R.D., A.M.S., U.S.D.A., Was-
hington for providing some agriculture handbooks.

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