Journal of Natural Science Research and Review (JNSRR) · Research article · Open access
Leveraging Wild Tomato Relatives for Durable Disease Resistance: Advances, Challenges, and Genomic Prospects
Ampah-Korsah Jessica, Funchious Paul Mensah, Mensah Godwin, Lugu Liberty, Botah Matilda, Brobbey Hannah Appiah, Agyapong Georgia Osei, Tetteh Emmanuel
1 December 2025 · Vol. 1, Issue 6, pp. 131-147
DOI: 10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E6/2025-01
Download full text (PDF)Cite this article
What is this article about?
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important horticultural crop facing escalating disease pressures from fungal, bacterial, and viral pathogens under climate change. Wild Solanum species harbor genetic diversity for disease resistance lost during domestication and represent critical resources for sustainable breeding.
Article at a glance
- Published
- 1 December 2025
- Volume / issue / pages
- Vol. 1, Issue 6, pp. 131-147
- ISSN
- 3051-3766 (online) · 3051-3758 (print)
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 — free to read and reuse with attribution
- Peer review
- Double-blind, at least two independent reviewers
- Publisher
- EP Journals Group
Abstract
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a globally important horticultural crop facing escalating disease pressures from fungal, bacterial, and viral pathogens under climate change. Wild Solanum species harbor genetic diversity for disease resistance lost during domestication and represent critical resources for sustainable breeding. This review synthesizes 2014–2025 literature on utilizing wild tomato relatives for disease resistance, examining molecular mechanisms, breeding strategies, genomic advances, and outstanding challenges. Wild relatives, including S. pimpinellifolium, S. habrochaites, S. pennellii, S. peruvianum, and S. chilense provide both qualitative resistance genes (R-genes) and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) against major pathogens. Successful examples include Ty-1/Ty-3 for TYLCV resistance, Mi-1 for nematode resistance, and Cf genes for leaf mold. Marker-assisted selection, genome sequencing, and gene pyramiding have accelerated introgression, though challenges persist including linkage drag, reproductive barriers, and incomplete functional characterization. Emerging genomic tools pangenomics, genomic selection, and CRISPR—promise to enhance precision and efficiency. Lesser-known wild species remain under-characterized genomically; multi-pathogen screening and collaborative pre-breeding networks are insufficient; integration of speed breeding with genomics-assisted introgression requires expansion. Durable, broad-spectrum resistance requires integrating wild genetic diversity through marker-assisted pyramiding, pangenomic resource development, multi-environment validation, and participatory breeding. A coordinated roadmap combining conservation, genomics, and applied breeding will enable climate-resilient tomato production.
Keywords: Wild tomato relatives, disease resistance, R-genes, introgression breeding, genomic selection, CRISPR
Cite this article
Ampah-Korsah Jessica, Funchious Paul Mensah, Mensah Godwin, Lugu Liberty, Botah Matilda, Brobbey Hannah Appiah, Agyapong Georgia Osei, & Tetteh Emmanuel (2025). Leveraging Wild Tomato Relatives for Durable Disease Resistance: Advances, Challenges, and Genomic Prospects. Journal of Natural Science Research and Review, 1(6), 131-147. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E6/2025-01
@article{AmpahKorsah2025,
title = {Leveraging Wild Tomato Relatives for Durable Disease Resistance: Advances, Challenges, and Genomic Prospects},
author = {Ampah-Korsah Jessica and Funchious Paul Mensah and Mensah Godwin and Lugu Liberty and Botah Matilda and Brobbey Hannah Appiah and Agyapong Georgia Osei and Tetteh Emmanuel},
journal = {Journal of Natural Science Research and Review},
year = {2025},
volume = {1},
number = {6},
pages = {131-147},
doi = {10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E6/2025-01},
url = {https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E6/2025-01}
}Questions about this article
Who wrote this article?
Ampah-Korsah Jessica, Funchious Paul Mensah, Mensah Godwin, Lugu Liberty, Botah Matilda, Brobbey Hannah Appiah, Agyapong Georgia Osei, Tetteh Emmanuel.
Where and when was it published?
In Journal of Natural Science Research and Review, Volume 1, Issue 6, pages 131-147, published by EP Journals Group on 1 December 2025.
Is this article free to read?
Yes. It is open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, so anyone can read, share and reuse it with attribution.
What is the DOI of this article?
10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E6/2025-01 (https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E6/2025-01).
How do I cite this article?
APA: Ampah-Korsah Jessica, Funchious Paul Mensah, Mensah Godwin, Lugu Liberty, Botah Matilda, Brobbey Hannah Appiah, Agyapong Georgia Osei, & Tetteh Emmanuel (2025). Leveraging Wild Tomato Relatives for Durable Disease Resistance: Advances, Challenges, and Genomic Prospects. Journal of Natural Science Research and Review, 1(6), 131-147. https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jnsrr/V1E6/2025-01
More research from JNSRR
- Impact of Agricultural Sulfur and Ground Yellow Corn Cob Amendments on Soil Nutrient Availability and Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.) Growth
Ismail Razak Al-Shahbani · Oct 2026
- Novel Proposal of the Cosmological Constant: Dark Energy, Dark Matter, and the Accelerated Expansion of the Universe
Lie Chun Pong · Oct 2026
- The N+1-Dimensional Framework: Folding Energy is the Main Source of Dark Energy in Brane Cosmology
Lie Chun Pong · Oct 2026
- Optimizing Growth Dynamics and Vase Life Extension of Daffodil (Narcissus Tazetta L. Var. Orientalis 'Double Roman') Through High-Dose Compost and GA₃ Pre-Treatment
Sarah Hussein Al-Shammari · Oct 2026
- Curvature Diagnostics in Lorentzian Geometry with Applications to General Relativity
Brima Conteh, Momoh Kamara, Christian Abu Sandy · Oct 2026