Vascular wilt in the perennial shrub lulo or naranjilla (Solanum quitoense) is a disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.

[1] Lulo or naranjilla (Solanum quitoense) is a perennial shrub whose fruit is an important input for production of fresh juice in Colombia, Ecuador, and other Latin American countries.

[3][4][5] This crop has been considered as very promising for export markets since the 1970s but problems of low productivity and susceptibility to many diseases have limited its potential.

[6][7][8] This reduced yield is very problematic since many small communities depends economically mostly on this crop and resources for diseases management at these areas are not available,.

[4] Data collected in several commercial farms located at the Pastaza Province, Amazon region of Ecuador, determine that the incidence of this disease in a period between October 2017 and January 2018 was around of 17%, observing that the variety naranjilla común was the most susceptible.

[4] Laboratory testing with chemical alternatives determined that the use of carbendazim in 2g/L of water provides a good control of the pathogen in the seed and was the most cost effective.

An experiment found that grafting common Lulo cultivar “nanegalito” with the accession ECU-6242 of Solanum hirtum provided the best result for getting better yields.

[4][1] In Nariño Department, Colombia, researchers have also found that grafting S. hirtum with S. quitoense is a good way to improve the plants resistance to infections of F. oxysporum without losing fruit quality.