Relationship between acylsugars, glandular trichome and resistance of tomato plants to the silverleaf whitefly

Abstract

This work was carried out to understand the effect of glandular trichome type IV with acylsugars on the resistance to Bemisia argentifolii in tomato plants. The genotypes used were: Lycopersicon esculentum ‘TOM-584’, without acylsugars and type IV trichomes; L. pennellii ‘LA-716’, rich in acylsugars and type IV trichomes as well as its F₂ plants: BPX-370#30 and BPX-370#79. The experiment was established in a completely randomized design with four treatments (genotypes), three and six replications from the parents and F₂ plants, respectively. The trichome type IV quantification was made by using 20 paradermic cuts from the abaxial side of the leaflets; a sample of five leaflets per plant and four cuts per leaflet was used. A set data of acylsugars contents, number of dead adults and live whitefly nymphs, on the genotypes in test were obtained from other works. Contrasts were made between the medium of the trichome density of F2 genotypes as well as the quantity of dead adults and live whitefly nymphs. It was not confirmed the influence of type IV trichomes on the quantity of dead adults and live nymphs. The respective presence and absence of dead adults and live whitefly nymphs, in tomato plants with type IV trichomes, is due to acylsugars contents in these trichomes