Optimizing Chemically Induced Resistance in Tomato Against Botrytis cinerea.

Area of Science:

• Plant Pathology
• Agricultural Chemistry
• Microbiology

Background:

• Induced resistance chemicals offer broad-spectrum disease protection in crops.
• However, these chemicals can negatively impact plant growth and beneficial microbial interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate application methods for β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) to induce long-lasting resistance in tomato against Botrytis cinerea.
• Assess nontarget effects on plant growth and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) root colonization.

Main Methods:

• Seed germination in BABA/JA solutions.
• Seed coating with BABA/JA in carboxymethyl cellulose.
• Root treatment of seedlings with BABA/JA.
• Evaluation of disease resistance, plant growth, and AMF colonization.

Main Results:

• Seed treatment with BABA or JA promoted germination and induced resistance without affecting growth.
• Seed coating with BABA induced resistance; JA was ineffective.
• Seedling root treatment induced resistance but repressed growth at higher concentrations, especially in hydroponics.
• Neither seed coating nor seedling treatment affected AMF colonization in soil-grown plants.

Conclusions:

• Commercially feasible methods for applying BABA and JA were identified for inducing durable disease resistance in tomato.
• These methods do not negatively impact plant growth or beneficial AMF colonization.