Tomato responses to resistance inducers and a biotrophic pathogen

Strategies for protecting tomato plants against pathogens include treatment with synthetic chemicals or pathogen-derived compounds and transfer of resistance genes from wild species. Satkova et al. analysed expression of 45 genes involved in defence mechanisms in wild and cultivated tomatoes contrasting in resistance to the biotrophic pathogen Oidium neolycopersici.

Differences in gene basal expression were found between resistant (S. habrochaites) and susceptible (S. lycopersicum cv. Amateur) genotypes. The application of β-aminobutyric acid and oligandrin induced expression of defence-related transcripts and enhanced resistance in susceptible genotypes, suggesting that the diverse signalling mechanisms occurring in β-Aminobutyric Acid (BABA)-induced resistance are dependent on application mode and plant type.

This paper is part of the Annals of Botany Special Issue on Plant Immunity. It will be free access till June 2017 and after April 2018.