Secreted Peptide SpPIP1 Modulates Disease Resistance and Salt Tolerance in Tomato.

Tomato is a globally important horticultural and economic crop, but its productivity is severely affected by various stresses. Plant small secretory peptides have been identified as crucial mediators in plant resistance. Here, we conducted a comparative transcriptome analysis and identified the gene from (), as an ortholog of encoding the precursor protein of PAMP-induced SSP 1. The expression level of is transcriptionally induced in tomato upon infection with (), the pathogen responsible for late blight. Overexpression of resulted in enhanced tomato resistance to . In addition, exogenous application of SpPIP1, whether through spraying or irrigation, improved tomato resistance by enhancing the transcript accumulations of pathogenesis-related proteins, as well as reactive oxygen species and the jasmonic acid (JA) levels. Integrated analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics revealed the potential contributions of JA and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis to SpPIP1-induced tomato immunity. Additionally, SpPIP1 may strengthen tomato resistance to salt stress through the ABA signaling pathway. Overall, our findings demonstrate that SpPIP1 positively regulates tomato tolerance to and salt stress, making it a potential plant elicitor for crop protection in an environmentally friendly way.