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REVIEW article

Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Pathogen Interactions
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1430965

Biology, Ecology, and Epidemiology of Alternaria Species Affecting Tomato: Ground Information for the Development of a Predictive Model

Provisionally accepted
Irene Salotti Irene Salotti Paola Giorni Paola Giorni Paola Battilani Paola Battilani *
  • Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Department of Sustainable Crop Production (DI.PRO.VE.S.), Piacenza, Italy

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Among pathogens that affect tomato, Alternaria spp. are important due to their implications in yield losses and the contamination of tomato products by mycotoxins. In this study, a systematic literature review was conducted to retrieve and analyze available data on the Alternaria-tomato pathosystem, with particular attention focused on the main biological processes included in the pathogen life cycle and mycotoxin production. We considered 110 papers (selected from initial 2,138 papers) on five Alternaria species that were historically related or recently identified to cause damage to tomato leafage and fruits. Published mathematical models related to Alternaria diseases in tomato were also screened based on their aim and development methods, highlighting the wide use of empirical approach. Retrieved information was also evaluated for applications in building a mechanistic, weather-driven model that incorporates the key steps of the pathogen life cycle. This systematic review highlights several knowledge gaps, including the effect of wetness on infection and environmental requirements for mycotoxin production, and suggests paths for further research especially for recently isolated species.

    Keywords: Alternaria, Tomato, early blight, Fruit rot, Systematic Literature Review, modeling

    Received: 10 May 2024; Accepted: 28 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Salotti, Giorni and Battilani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Paola Battilani, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore - Department of Sustainable Crop Production (DI.PRO.VE.S.), Piacenza, Italy

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.