Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) crop meet substantial damages due to several pathogens causing serious diseases. Previously, the disease was managed using several methods including fungicide application and other cultural practices. The factors including limited availability of commercially acceptable resistant cultivars and negative environmental impact of chemical application have prompted the use of identification and use of genetic resistance to complement other practices in disease management. In the present study, 46 genotypes were screened for resistance to Fusarium wilt (I1) and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (Ty-2) to develop fresh market tomato resistant lines. Molecular markers were used to identify resistant gene against both the diseases. Gene pyramiding for disease resistant genes was done by crossing cultivated variety Roma and an advanced line 1008.The present work provided greenhouse, field, molecular marker and laboratory protocols used in the screening and selection process that were applied to segregating populations during generation advance over three years to develop two multiple disease resistant F5 fresh market tomato lines. Resistance of two lines against the abovementioned diseases was confirmed in subsequent evaluations. The identified multiple disease resistant lines were subjected to agro-morphological studies. Analysis of variance was used to analyze the data which was subsequently followed by LSD test to estimate significant variation among the developed lines and their parents. Mean values were highest for number of fruits per plant and fruit width. Other traits like vine length, fruit weight and number of branches per plant also showed statistically high values. Line with superior traits and characters was selected and identified for yield and quality enhancement programs.

Keywords: Solanum lycopersicum, diseases resistance, molecular markers, gene pyramiding