The most important diseases affecting tomato crops and methods of prevention and control

Abstract

The tomato (Lycopersicon milles esculentum) is the second most important vegetable crop globally and in the Arab world. It

is an herbaceous plant belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), which includes about 2000 species and 90 genera

(Gerszberg et al., 2015). Tomatoes are considered an important agricultural vegetable crop, serving as both a food and

processing crop, supporting some food industries and representing a significant source of national agricultural income. Despite

the economic and nutritional importance of tomatoes, the local environmental and climatic conditions allow for year-round

cultivation (Abdul Sadiq et al., 2020).

It is consumed either fresh or cooked and is used in many food industries, whether as a plant-based food or an economic crop

of great economic importance in raising farmers' income, especially when it is grown on a large scale. Tomatoes can be used

as a vegetable or served with rice and salads (Perveen et al., 2015).

Tomatoes have been found to have significant medicinal and nutritional benefits. Approximate analysis shows that fresh (ripe)

tomatoes contain: 13 mg of calcium; 27 mg of phosphorus; 0.5 mg of iron; 3 mg of sodium; 244 mg of potassium; vitamin A;

0.6 mg of thiamin; 0.4 mg of riboflavin; 0.7 mg of niacin; and 233 mg of ascorbic acid (Waid and Hanna, 2012 et al., and

Audrius, 2016).