Dharamshala, Sept. 20 -- Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, has achieved a major breakthrough with the development of the two wilt-resistant tomato varieties- "Him Palam Tamatar-1" and "Him Palam Tamatar-2".

Announcing this, vice-chancellor Naveen Kumar said that these high-yielding varieties, bred by university's department of vegetable science, are resistant to bacterial wilt; one of the most devastating challenges for tomato growers in the state.

Bacterial wilt is a serious constraint to tomato cultivation in Himachal, particularly in the lower and mid-mountainous regions. The disease causes young plants to wilt and yellow within 10-15 days of infection, often wiping out entire crops. Spread thr...