Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) accessions and species

Abstract

We performed this study to evaluate the resistance of 36 wild and cultivated tomato accessions to Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) under greenhouse conditions in fall 2017. Phenotypically, accessions of species S. chilense, S. habrochaites, S. cheesmaniae, S. chmielewskii, and S. galapagense showed significantly fewer plant damages, i.e. less sensitivity. We re-evaluated nine resistant accessions of various species in vitro compared to susceptible “Moneymaker” by choice and no-choice tests to describe the level and mechanism of resistance. Ches-3 (S. cheesmaniae AusTRCF312323), Gal-1 (S. galapagense LA317), Chil—2 (S. chilense LA1967), Chil-3 (S. chilense LA1969); and Hab-7 (S. habrochaites CGN 15391) showed antixenosis (reduced oviposition and larval penetration) and antibiosis resistances (inhibited larval and pupal development and lack of new offspring). In addition, resistance was related to increased leaf content of zingiberene and acyl sugars, particularly in CGN15391. Resistant accessions Ches-3, Gal-1, Chm-2 (S. chmielewskii LA1327), Chil-2 and Hab-7 shared some polymorphic bands in SDS-PAGE analysis, indicating their similarity in gene expression and metabolic activity under T. absoluta infestation conditions. Hab-7 is considered more resistant than other resistant accessions because its low plant damage, high leaf content of zingiberene and acyl sugars, and coding of all resistance-related proteins.

Keywords:

• Solanum sp.
• antibiosis
• antixenosis
• zingiberine
• acyl sugars
• SDS-PAGE

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing interests.