Phytophthora species causing crown and root rot of tomato in southern Italy

Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora cryptogea and Phytophthora nicotianae were isolated from tomato plants with symptoms of crown and root rot in plastic-house crops in Sicilia and Calabria (southern Italy). The species were identified primarily on the basis of morphological and cultural characteristics. The identification was confirmed using molecular methods, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of mycelial proteins and polymorphism of DNA sequences amplified by polymerase chain reaction using random primers (RAPD-PCR). P. capsici caused significant losses in tomato crops that had succeeded capsicum crops. P. cryptogea was found to be the most frequent species causing basal stem rot of tomato, a disease of increasing importance in commercial tomato crops in plastic houses in Sicilia. P. nicotianae was common in plastic houses where poor drainage resulted in standing water.