Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacerum is one of the most economically and destructive eggplant diseases in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world. The objectives of this study were to develop interspecific hybrids, as potential rootstocks, between the eggplant (Solanum melongena) bacterial wilt resistant line EG203 and four wild accessions (S. incanum UPV1, S. insanum UPV2, S.anguivi UPV3, and S. sisymbriifolium UPV4), and to evaluate interspecific hybrids along with parents for resistance to bacterial wilt strains Pss97 and Pss2016. EG203 was crossed successfully with wild accessions UPV2 and UPV3 and produced viable seeds that germinated when wild accessions were used as a maternal parent in the crosses. In addition, viable interspecific hybrids between EG203 and UPV1 were obtained in both directions of the hybridization, although embryo rescue had to be used. Hybridity was confirmed in the four developed interspecific hybrid combinations with three SSR markers. EG203 was resistant to both strains Pss97 and Pss2016, while UPV1 and UPV3 were, respectively, resistant and moderately resistant to Pss2016. The four interspecific hybrids with UPV2, UPV3, and UPV1 were susceptible to both bacterial wilt strains, indicating that the resistance of EG203, UPV1, and UPV3 behaves as recessive in interspecific crosses. However, given the vigor of interspecific hybrids between eggplant and the three cultivated wild species, these hybrids may be of interest as rootstocks. However, the development of interspecific hybrid rootstocks resistant to bacterial wilt will probably require the identification of new sources of dominant resistance to this pathogen in the eggplant wild relatives.

Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is highly diverse and the identification of new sources of resistance for the incorporation of multiple and complementary resistance genes in the same cultivar is the best strategy for durable and stable resistance. The objective of this study was to screen seven accessions of cultivated eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and 40 accessions from 12 wild relatives for resistance to two virulent R. solanacearum strains (Pss97 and Pss2016; phylotype I, race 1, biovar 3). The resistant or moderately resistant accessions were further evaluated with Pss97 in a second trial under high temperatures (and also with Pss2016 for S. anguivi accession VI050346). The resistant control EG203 was resistant to Pss97, but only moderately resistant to Pss2016. One accession of S. sisymbriifolium (SIS1) and two accessions of S. torvum (TOR2 and TOR3) were resistant or moderately resistant to Pss97 in both trials. Solanum anguivi VI050346, S. incanum accession MM577, and S. sisymbriifolium (SIS1 and SIS2) were resistant to Pss2016 in the first trial. However, S. anguivi VI050346 was susceptible in the second trial. These results are important for breeding resistant rootstocks and cultivars that can be used to manage this endemic disease.