Induction of Glandular Trichomes to Control in Tomato Crops: Modulation by the Natural Enemy .

Whitefly-transmitted viruses are one of the biggest threats to tomato () growing worldwide. Strategies based on the introgression of resistance traits from wild relatives are promoted to control tomato pests and diseases. Recently, a trichome-based resistance characterizing the wild species was introgressed into a cultivated tomato. An advanced backcross line (BCS) exhibiting the presence of acylsugar-associated type IV trichomes, which are lacking in cultivated tomatoes, was effective at controlling whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and limiting the spread of whitefly-transmitted viruses. However, at early growth stages, type IV trichome density and acylsugar production are limited; thus, protection against whiteflies and whitefly-transmitted viruses remains irrelevant. In this work, we demonstrate that young BCS tomato plants feeding-punctured by the zoophytophagous predator (Hemiptera: Miridae) displayed an increase (above 50%) in type IV trichome density. Acylsugar production was consistently increased in -punctured BCS plants, which was more likely associated with upregulated expression of the gene related to acylsugar biosynthesis. In addition, the infestation of BCS plants with effectively induced the expression of defensive genes involved in the jasmonic acid signaling pathway, resulting in strong repellence to and attractiveness to . Thus, through preplant release of in tomato nurseries carried out in some integrated pest management programs, type IV trichome-expressing plants can be prepared to control whiteflies and whitefly-transmitted viruses at early growth stages. This study emphasizes the advantage of reinforcing constitutive resistance using defense inducers to guarantee robust protection against pests and transmitted viruses.