A Decade of progress and future promise:
Advancing multi-disease and insect-resistant tomato lines
– 28 October 2025 –
Tomato species Solanum galapagense (left); Results from current breeding program – advance tomato hybrid (right)
Over the past decade, the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) has led a strategic initiative to strengthen sustainable tomato production by developing multi-disease and insect-resistant tomato varieties. This effort has targeted the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, a key vector of multiple viruses, and tomato leaf miner (Phthorimaea absoluta, also known as Tuta absoluta), one of the most destructive pests in tomato cultivation – alongside genetic resistance to viruses such as tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV).
This work is founded on six pillars: (1) identifying novel sources of resistance; (2) identifying resistance mechanisms; (3) mapping insect resistance genes; (4) integrating insect and virus resistance traits; (5) combining multiple resistance genes in a single crop (also known as pyramiding); and (6) establishing robust and efficient screening methods.
This approach aligns with the principles of integrated pest management (IPM) and continues to deliver innovative genetic tools for modern tomato breeding. As part of this effort, the WorldVeg tomato breeding team, in collaboration with the organization’s phytopathology, entomology, virology, and biotech teams, successfully identified a valuable source of resistance in the wild tomato, Solanum galapagense. They characterized the associated resistance mechanism, and developed molecular markers linked to the trait. These markers have since been used to introgress resistance into elite breeding lines, advancing the development of resilient, high-performing tomato cultivars.
In recent years, the WorldVeg tomato breeding team, led by Dr. Assaf Eybishitz, Senior Scientist – Tomato Breeding, in collaboration with the organization’s virology and entomology teams, has successfully combined genetic resistance to both TYLCV and its primary vector, whitefly. TYLCV is among the most damaging viruses affecting global tomato production, often leading to severe yield losses. While conventional breeding efforts have typically targeted either the virus or its vector, the WorldVeg approach has demonstrated that integrating resistance to both, results in a synergistic effect, offering more comprehensive and sustainable protection. By incorporating insect resistance traits, particularly those that affect whitefly behavior and survival, alongside the pyramiding of virus resistance genes, researchers have achieved a win-win. Insect resistance contributes to reducing whitefly populations, limiting the vector’s ability to spread the virus between plants. Simultaneously, plants carrying pyramided virus resistance markers are better able to suppress viral replication and expression when inoculation occurs. Together, these traits reduce the initial viral load and subsequent virus accumulation in the plant.
This dual resistance not only improves plant health and yield stability but also significantly reduces the need for insecticides, which translates to cost savings for farmers, reduced environmental impacts, and a safer product for consumers. The result is a more sustainable and resilient cropping system that enhances economic outcomes for smallholder farmers.
Beyond whitefly and TYLCV, preliminary findings also suggest that this genetic background provides tolerance to tomato leaf miner, a highly destructive pest in tomato production. This promising observation positions the lines as a broader solution for managing multiple key tomato pests. WorldVeg plans to conduct further trials to validate this resistance under different environmental conditions.
A follow-up study conducted by Ms. Shruthi Shimoga Prabhakar, an MSc student from Sri Venkateswara Agricultural College, Tirupati, India, as part of WorldVeg’s Golden Jubilee internship program, confirmed that insect resistance traits are heritable and remain effective in hybrids in the heterozygous state. This finding enables the integration of these traits into F1 hybrid breeding programs, significantly expanding the potential for commercial breeders to adopt and disseminate insect- and virus-resistant tomato cultivars more widely.
As the project enters its implementation and improvement phases, WorldVeg remains focused on expanding multi-location trials, refining adaptation to the product profile, hybrid production, and disseminating validated lines to partners. The goal is to offer adaptable breeding materials that meet the needs of the environment and markets. This initiative exemplifies the value of long-term investment in breeding for complex resistance traits and affirms the role of strategic partnerships in driving innovation for food security and agricultural sustainability.
Experimental methods: Tomato no-choice trials (left) and choice trials (right)
WorldVeg and ACIAR has an active partnership agreement aimed at advancing both the organizations’ programs and projects. This research has received funding support from the ACIAR.
