Divergent responses of tomato cultivars with resistance to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus to infection by Meloidogyne javanica

Abstract

Commercial tomatoes are usually complex F1 hybrids with multiple resistances genes 9 from different wild Solanum species. The response of tomato cultivars with resistance to root-knot 10 nematodes (RKN) and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) to infection by M. javanica was deter- 11 mined in controlled environment and in the field. Four treatments were tested: cultivars with i) 12 RKN resistance alone, ii) RKN and TYLCV resistance (RKN+TYLCV), iii) TYLCV resistance alone, 13 and iv) none (susceptible to the nematode and virus). The RKN resistant plants were highly effective 14 suppressing nematode infection and reproduction both in controlled environment and in the field. 15 The RKN+TYLCV resistant plants were also effective but less (P<0.001) than the RKN plants in con- 16 trolled environment although their resistance levels were significantly reduced in the field. None- 17 theless, the RKN+TYLCV plants supported lower (P<0.001) nematode infection and reproduction 18 than the susceptible control plants. The TYLCV resistant plants reduced (P<0.001) nematode infec- 19 tion and reproduction compared to the susceptible control in controlled environment and in the 20 field. The divergent response of tomato cultivars with resistance to TYLCV to infection by Meloido- 21 gyne javanica was attributed to the genetic background of the cultivars.