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Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), an important solanaceous crop in tbe world, is susceptible to soilbome bio-agressors, the main of which, in temperate areas, being Verticillium wilt (Verticillium sp.) and root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Grafting on resistant rootstock is an alternative rnethod to soil disinfection. In France, the generalization of grafting spread over the 2000's. After several years of utilization of resistant tornato rootstocks for eggplant production, and to a lesser extent, of Solanum torvum rootstocks, damaging wilt-like-symptoms are often observed by growers. Renee it is necessary to identify alternative rootstocks, able to sustain the soil pathogenic cornplex by a combination of vigor and genetic resistance. However, graft affinity between potential rootstocks and eggplant (scion) is the fust step to investigate. Solanaceae family offers a wide choice of candidate rootstock species. The objective ofthis research was to identify solanaceous species baving a good graft affinity with eggplant, Screening of a wide set of genetic resources was carried out at the Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes -Ctifl- (Lanxade and Balandran center) in collaboration with INRA. Experirnents were carried out during a five years period (2011-2015). Several So/anum species displayed a good graft affinity with eggplant and are candidates for further agronomie evaluation.

After many years of utilisation of grafting on Verticillium wilt resistant rootstocks, mainly tomato rootstocks, growers observe new wilt like symptoms on their grafted eggplants. Accordingly, Ctifl, in close collaboration with lNRA, regional extension services, and seed companies, set up a research designed to get a general picture of the various soil borne phytosanitary problems, and to identify their causees). The princip le of the study was to monitor pathogen distribution changes in eggplant crops in the two main production regions in France. The results show the prevalence of Verticillium wilt and, in the majority of cases and a1l production areas, the simultaneous presence of a number of other bioagressors, including fungi and nematodes. The isolates of Verticillium were identified at the species level (V. dahliae, V. isaacii) and characterized for their race (0 or 1) and their aggressiveness. Surprisingly, the aggressiveness ofmost isolates was relatively low. To our knowledge, this is the first report of V. isaacii in France, but its impact on production across France is unknown at this time.

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), an important solanaceous crop in tbe world, is susceptible to soilbome bio-agressors, the main of which, in temperate areas, being Verticillium wilt (Verticillium sp.) and root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Grafting on resistant rootstock is an alternative rnethod to soil disinfection. In France, the generalization of grafting spread over the 2000's. After several years of utilization of resistant tornato rootstocks for eggplant production, and to a lesser extent, of Solanum torvum rootstocks, damaging wilt-like-symptoms are often observed by growers. Renee it is necessary to identify alternative rootstocks, able to sustain the soil pathogenic cornplex by a combination of vigor and genetic resistance. However, graft affinity between potential rootstocks and eggplant (scion) is the fust step to investigate. Solanaceae family offers a wide choice of candidate rootstock species. The objective ofthis research was to identify solanaceous species baving a good graft affinity with eggplant, Screening of a wide set of genetic resources was carried out at the Centre Technique Interprofessionnel des Fruits et Légumes -Ctifl- (Lanxade and Balandran center) in collaboration with INRA. Experirnents were carried out during a five years period (2011-2015). Several So/anum species displayed a good graft affinity with eggplant and are candidates for further agronomie evaluation.