The last thing we want to worry about as tomato growers is disease. Black stems, spots on leaves, early and late blight, fusarium wilt, the list goes on.
The best treatment for tomato diseases? Prevention.
Thankfully, there are many disease resistant tomatoes available to ease our minds a bit in the garden. In this article, I’ll round up over 20 disease resistant tomato varieties to try growing yourself.
Each variety is resistant to certain diseases, but may not be to others. It will help to know which diseases are common in your growing area when selecting varieties to grow. I’ll note which diseases or pathogens each type is known to tolerate.
Disease resistant varieties by type:
Disease Resistant Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are some of my absolute favorite types to grow. Plants can produce hundreds of individual fruits, and they are so snackable and useful in the kitchen. Try growing some of these disease resistant cherry tomatoes.
Super Sweet 100 (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Early Blight, Late Blight, Fusarium Wilt, Fusarium Wilt 1, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Verticillium Wilt, Verticillium Wilt 1, Verticillium Wilt 2
- Get seeds
The Super Sweet 100 is an incredible cherry tomato with amazing yields, flavor, and disease tolerance. If you love indeterminate cherry tomatoes, this may be the only variety you need to grow.
Mountain Magic (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Blight, Early Blight, Late Blight, Alternaria Stem Canker, Corky Root Rot, Fusarium Wilt, Fusarium Wilt 1, 2 & 3, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
If you want a slightly larger cherry type, the ~2oz fruits from Mountain Magic might be perfect. This hybrid variety has a huge list of disease resistance, including some of the most common fungal infections.
Aosta Valley (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Early Blight, Late Blight
- Get seeds
The Aosta valley is an early cherry tomato that comes from the Italian Alps. Producing clusters of 6-10 tomatoes per truss, this heirloom fends off both early and late blight. If you want to avoid blight on your tomatoes, try this variety!
Indigo Rose
- Disease resistance: Early Blight, Late Blight, Powdery Mildew
- Get seeds
If you like to tinker with the more unique and special varieties, then indigo rose may be for you. This tomato has high anthocyanin levels, resulting in purple/black fruits. This cherry variety is also resistant to blight and powdery mildew, making it even more attractive throughout the season.
Jasper (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Blight, Early Blight, Late Blight, Fusarium Wilt 1 & 2
- Get seeds
The tiny jasper tomato variety produces loads of 7-10 gram fruits. Not only does it resist various blight diseases, but it is also crack resistant, resulting in a beautiful plant with continual harvests.
Disease Resistant Plum Tomatoes
If you like making tomato sauce or paste, then you’ll probably want to grow plum varieties. They are known for having thick, meaty flesh, perfect for juicing or cooking down into delicious sauces. Try growing these resilient plum varieties.
Roma (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Stem Canker, Fusarium Wilt, Fusarium Wilt 1, Late Blight, Root Knot Nematode, Verticillium Wilt, Verticillium Wilt 1
- Get seeds
There is a reason that the roma tomato is so incredibly popular. Not only is it highly productive and delicious, but it has natural resistance to a variety of diseases. If you haven’t tried this Italian heirloom tomato yet, you’re missing out!
Supremo (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Bacterial Leaf Spot, Fusarium Wilt 1, 2 & 3, Gray Leaf Spot, Root Knot Nematode, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
Want to grow a hybrid plum tomato with exceptional disease resistance? Try the Supremo hybrid. It is also known to have high heat tolerance, producing dependable crops mid-season. The large, elongated fruits are perfect for sauces, and you can even succession plant if you have a longer summer season!
Juliet (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Blight, Early Blight, Late Blight, Septoria Leaf Spot
- Get seeds
The Juliet hybrid variety is sort of a mix between a grape and a plum tomato. With fruits around 2.5″ long, this tomato could be used for snacking, fresh salads, or making pasta sauce. The plants have good disease resistance, and the fruits rarely crack.
Plum Regal (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Stem Canker, Early Blight, Fusarium Wilt 1 & 2, Late Blight, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
If late blight is a big problem for you, then the plum regal may be the perfect tomato variety to grow. This hybrid tomato has high resistance to late blight, along with moderate resistance to early blight. The fruits average 4oz, and the large leaves provide great protection from sun scald.
Sunrise Sauce (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Fusarium Wilt 1, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
If you like your sauce orange instead of bright red, then try the sunrise sauce hybrid tomato! With high disease resistance to fusarium wilt, this variety is well suited for warm climates with high humidity.
Disease Resistant Globe (Slicing) Tomatoes
I love globe tomatoes. They are the perfect size for slicing on burgers and sandwiches, but can also be used for sauces and salsa. Try some of these workhorse, disease-fighting globe tomato types.
Celebrity (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Stem Canker, Fusarium Wilt 1 & 2, Gray Leaf Spot, Root Knot Nematode, Tomato Mosaic Virus, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Verticillium Wilt 1 & 2
- Get seeds
It is no wonder the celebrity F1 hybrid tomato has become a long-standing favorite amongst growers. This AAS winner boasts one of the longest lists of disease resistance in any variety, and it produces large, consistent yields of ~8oz tomatoes. This would make the perfect starter tomato variety, great for canning, slicing, or sauces!
Caiman (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Fusarium Wilt, Leaf Mold, Root Knot Nematode, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
The caiman F1 hybrid is a truly picturesque tomato variety. It grows large, round fruits, with 4-6 tomatoes per truss! The plants have a wide range of disease resistance, including tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and various wilt diseases. It also has an open growth pattern, which naturally helps reduce disease.
Ace 55 (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Stem Canker, Fusarium Wilt 1, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
Do tomatoes give you reflux? If so, you should try the Ace 55 variety, which is said to have lower acidity than other tomatoes. Perfect for slicing, canning, or making sauce, this heirloom variety also has natural disease resistance.
Golden Jubilee (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Stem Canker
- Get seeds
Looking to add some bright color to your tomato garden? Try the gorgeous golden jubilee variety; an heirloom dating back to 1943. It won the AAS award, has thick walls, and tons of flavor.
Green Zebra (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Late Blight, Septoria Leaf Spot
- Get seeds
While this variety doesn’t have a ton of disease resistance, it does resist late blight and septoria leaf spot, two major diseases here in the Northeast. Resistance to these two alone can make a big difference!
Oh, and did I mention it is a beautiful variety? With stripes of green and yellow, this tomato is a stand-out in any veggie garden.
Marglobe (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Fusarium Wilt 1 & 2
- Get seeds
If fusarium wilt is a major issue for you, the marglobe heirloom may be the right choice to grow. This determinate heirloom has resistance to fusarium wilts 1 and 2, and produces large, beautiful round fruits.
Disease Resistant Beefsteak Tomatoes
If you like your tomatoes big, then beefsteaks are probably among your favorites. However, these types often suffer from diseases and disorders. Check out these disease resistant beefsteak tomato varieties!
Brandywine (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Early Blight, Fulvia Blight
- Get seeds
If size and flavor are your priority, then brandywine is a winner. With fruits often well-exceeding 1 lb, the brandywine heirloom tomato is impressive. To top it off, it has some blight resistance, and excellent flavor.
Tip: Looking for even more disease resistance? Try the brandywise variety – this hybrid adds late blight and septoria leaf spot resistance (without sacrificing flavor)!
Big Beef Plus (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Stem Canker, Fusarium Wilt 1 & 2, Fusarium Crown and Root Rot, Gray Leaf Spot, Root Knot Nematode, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
If you want a wide range of disease resistance, look no further than the big beef plus hybrid. While the fruits are not enormous (typically around 10oz), the plants are extremely well protected. These slicers are perfect for trellising and getting consistent harvests all season long.
Champion 2 (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Alternaria Stem Canker, Fusarium Wilt 1 & 2, Gray Leaf Spot, Root Knot Nematode, Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
These medium-sized tomatoes are absolutely gorgeous. The ~8oz fruits have lightly creased tops, and a beautiful rich color. While they aren’t the largest, the wide variety of disease resistance makes them a fantastic option.
Cherokee Purple (Heirloom)
- Disease resistance: Bacterial Speck, Fusarium Wilt 1, 2 & 3, Root Knot Nematode, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
Another monster variety, the Cherokee purple is a true beefsteak tomato. It also has attractive purple coloration, and tasty flavor. These are also heirlooms, meaning you can save your own seeds and grow them year after year.
Buffalo Steak (Hybrid)
- Disease resistance: Fusarium Wilt, Root Knot Nematode, Tomato Mosaic Virus, Verticillium Wilt
- Get seeds
These meaty tomatoes are super juicy and boast lots of disease resistance. If you have seen tomato mosaic virus, then the Buffalo steak F1 may be a good option for your garden.
Tips for Reducing Tomato Disease
Choosing disease-resistant tomato varieties is the best way of avoiding disease. However, no plant is perfect. Use these additional tips to further reduce the chances of your tomatoes becoming diseased:
- Space plants properly. Tomato plant spacing is critical for tomato plants. Without enough room, airflow decreases, helping funguses thrive. Most varieties should be planted at least 24″ apart, unless you are trellising and pruning to a single main stem.
- Bottom prune lower leaves. Pruning tomatoes is incredibly important to keep your plants happy and healthy. Bottom pruning in particular keeps lower leaves off of the soil, away from any soil-borne pathogens.
- Mulch tomatoes. In addition to bottom-pruning, mulching tomatoes can help suppress disease (as well as weeds). I like using dried and rotted leaves or straw.
- Remove diseased plants. If you have a diseased plant, avoid touching it, as diseases spread easily from one plant to the next. If the disease is especially serious, consider removing the plant from the garden.
I hope this article helps you choose some new tomato varieties to grow. Disease resistant tomatoes are a life-saver, and can make gardening so much more enjoyable. Good luck with your plants, and leave any of your favorite varieties below!
Well I wish I would have found your articles sooner, I had already planted big beef, so far one plant has blossom end rot, I added calcium to the soil, unknown if it will work (yet), several lower leaves are turning yellow, I have trimmed them all up off the dirt, I noticed my peppers have slowed down due to the 100f plus weather we have had
Blossom end rot is caused by inconsistent watering which prevents the plant from getting the calcium from the soil.
I’m surprised you don’t mention the Chef Choice varieties that are resistant to anthracnose. That and Brandy Boy are the only tomatoes I have found that are resistant.
tomato plants that got through the blight.
by removing the affected limbs, will the seeds be blight resistant?