- classification : Fungi, Ascomycota, Sordariomycetes, Hypocreomycetidae, Hypocreales, Nectriaceae
- téléomorphe :  Gibberella
- English name: Fusarium crown and root rot


This root fusarium was first described in Japan in 1969 (with yield losses of up to 40 percent) and subsequently in California in 1971, then in other states of the United States (yields reduced by up to 50%). It is now present in many production areas around the world (Canada, Mexico, Korea, Europe, Mediterranean basin ); it can be rife in the open as well as in shelters, in soil as well as above ground. It developed in Europe during the 1980s (Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain ), as well as in the Mediterranean Basin (Israel, Greece ). It is in soilless crops, on various substrates (peat, rock wool, etc.) that it has caused considerable damage, in particular during the cold seasons.

In France , its first damage was observed in 1985, following the use of imported peat. F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici then spread fairly quickly in many shelters, causing considerable losses, especially in soilless cultivation and during winter.

Fortunately, the creation of varieties resistant to this formidable fungus has made it possible to effectively resolve this phytosanitary problem, in France as in many other countries. The arrival on the market of new varieties resistant to TYLCV but susceptible to F. oxysporum f. sp. r adicis-lycopersici has shown that this resistance could no longer be overlooked in France because this root Fusarium wilt has once again been severely affected. This confirms that the fungus is permanently installed in many farms.

This Fusarium wilt has been more recently reported in several countries where it is more or less harmful: several countries of the Mediterranean Basin (Crete, Turkey, Malta, Tunisia ), in Slovakia


Nine vegetative compatibility groups (VCG) have been demonstrated in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (0090 to 0099). Groups 0090, 0091 and 0094 are quite cosmopolitan, the other 6 have a more limited distribution. For example, five groups have been identified in Italy, also present in Israel: VCG 0090, VCG 0091, VCG 0092, VCG 0093 and VCG 0096. Two groups, VCG 0090 / subgroup II and VCG 0091 / subgroup I, have been reported in Turkey. The first has also been identified in Cyprus. In the countries of north-western Europe (Belgium, the Netherlands and Great Britain), the VCG 0094 group, divided into 3 subgroups, predominates, except in France where a VCG 0090 subgroup III has been identified ( in addition to VCG 0090 subgroups I and II, VCG 0091 subgroups I and II and VCG 0094 subgroups I and II), as in Israel. VCG 0094 is a founder population in Europe resulting from intercontinental migration of a few isolates from Palm Beach County, United States. It is also from this county that F. oxysporum f. sp. r adicis-lycopersici would have migrated to other states today contaminated, in particular in Florida. Two new groups, VCG 0098 and VCG 0099, were detected in this state, but with low frequency. Note that there would also be a VCG 0097.

These different groups and subgroups observed in the same production areas demonstrate the high level of genetic diversity expressed by this pathogenic fungus of tomatoes. In addition, differences in aggressiveness between strains are also observed.

It should be noted that other Fusarium have been associated with root lesions and tomato collar, especially F. solani .