Resistance of Lycopersicon species to Bemisia tabaci, a tomato leaf curl virus vector

Abstract

More than 1200 cultivars, breeding lines, and wild species of Lycopersicon were screened for resistance to the tomato leaf curl virus under field conditions. All accessions of Lycopersicon esculentum were found susceptible to tomato leaf curl virus. Three lines of Lycopersicon hirsutum and one of Lycopersicon peruvianum accessions showed apparent resistance to the tomato leaf curl virus owing to the failure of virus transmission by whiteflies. Morphological analysis by light and scanning electron microscopy revealed distributions of different types of trichomes on leaf surfaces. Lycopersicon hirsutum proved to be the least affected by the leaf curl virus because it did not support whitefly infestation to any extent. Lycopersicon hirsutum differed from other species by the presence of glandular trichomes designated type VIc. Whiteflies became entrapped in the exudate of type VIc trichome glands before they could transmit the virus. Thus, it may be possible to control tomato leaf curl virus transmission by breeding plants with certain types of trichomes, especially trichome type VIc.