Botrytis cinerea: The Cause of Tomatoes Gray Mold

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an important and valuable fruit because of its unique economic, health, and nutritional benefits. Among the fungal diseases affecting tomato crops, gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers.: Fr., is considered one of the most devastating diseases leading to an accountable loss. This airborne pathogen has the ability to kill tomato cells and produce toxins, causing massive production losses at all development stages and even post-harvest. Annual economic yield losses due to gray mold have been estimated at more than 80%. Currently, cultural practices and fungicide applications are employed for the management of gray mold due to the lack of reliable resistant cultivars. A thorough understanding of B. cinerea epidemiology and infection processes is needed to guide future efforts in the development of innovative integrated management practices. This review summarizes the current knowledge of symptoms and signs, epidemiology, ecology, disease development, disease cycle, and disease management.