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Mahlangu L, Sibisi P, Nofemela RS, Ngmenzuma T, Ntushelo K. The Differential Effects of Tuta absoluta Infestations on the Physiological Processes and Growth of Tomato, Potato, and Eggplant. INSECTS 2022; 13:754. [PMID: 36005379 PMCID: PMC9409810 DOI: 10.3390/insects13080754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a destructive insect pest toward crops and belongs to the Solanaceae family. Since it was first recorded in South Africa in 2016, the pest has spread extensively and caused tremendous damage to field and tunnel-grown tomato crops. This study aimed to investigate how T. absoluta affects the growth and physiology of three Solanaceae plant species: tomato, potato, and eggplant. These three crops were infested with L1 instar larvae, and their growth and physiology were assessed during insect feeding. The damage to the infested tomato host plant was severe, with T. absoluta destroying 100% of the plants. The tomato plants were distorted 15 days after infestation, that is, before the fruit set. For potato, the defoliation was moderate, but the infested plants produced fewer tubers compared to the uninfested host plants. Eggplant had fewer visible signs of feeding, resulting in no significant difference between the infested and uninfested host plants in terms of growth and physiological functions. Infested tomato and potato plants had stagnant growth, fewer and damaged leaves, a reduced chlorophyll content, a reduced photosynthesis rate, a poor transpiration rate, poor water conductance, and poor intercellular carbon dioxide concentrations. This study closes the knowledge gap on the morphological (growth) and physiological responses of different Solanaceae species to T. absoluta infestation, and it also demonstrates the differential risk of T. absoluta infestations in the production of tomato, potato, and eggplant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindiwe Mahlangu
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa
| | - Phumzile Sibisi
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa
| | - Robert S. Nofemela
- Agricultural Research Council–Plant Health and Protection, Private Bag X134, Queenswood 0121, South Africa
| | - Titus Ngmenzuma
- Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Khayalethu Ntushelo
- Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Private Bag X6, Florida 1710, South Africa
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Chen LM, Li XW, He TJ, Li PJ, Liu Y, Zhou SX, Wu QC, Chen TT, Lu YB, Hou YM. Comparative biochemical and transcriptome analyses in tomato and eggplant reveal their differential responses to Tuta absoluta infestation. Genomics 2021; 113:2108-2121. [PMID: 33964421 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2021.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Tomato is more prone to Tuta absoluta invasion and damages as compared to other host plants but the mechanism behind this preference has not been elucidated. Here, two contrasting host preference plants, tomato and eggplant, were used to investigate biochemical and transcriptomic modifications induced by T. absoluta infestation. Biochemical analysis at 0-72 h post T. absoluta infestation revealed significantly reduced concentrations of amino acid, fructose, sucrose, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and total phenols in tomato compared to eggplant, mainly at 48 h post T. absoluta infestation. Transcriptome analysis showed higher transcript changes in infested eggplant than tomato. Signaling genes had significant contributions to mediate plant immunity against T. absoluta, specifically genes associated with salicylic acid in eggplant. Genes from PR1b1, NPR1, NPR3, MAPKs, and ANP1 families play important roles to mitigate T. absoluta infestation. Our results will facilitate the development of control strategies against T. absoluta for sustainable tomato production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Min Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education & Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China; State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China; Integrated Plant Protection Center, Lishui Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, 827 Liyang Stress, Lishui, Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Xiao-Wei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Tian-Jun He
- Integrated Plant Protection Center, Lishui Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, 827 Liyang Stress, Lishui, Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Peng-Ju Li
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education & Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education & Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Shu-Xing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Quan-Cong Wu
- Integrated Plant Protection Center, Lishui Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, 827 Liyang Stress, Lishui, Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Ting-Ting Chen
- College of Ecology, Lishui University, Lishui, Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Yao-Bin Lu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.
| | - You-Ming Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education & Fujian Province Key Laboratory of Insect Ecology, College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, Fujian, China.
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