Interaction with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana influences tomato phenome and promotes resistance to Botrytis cinerea infection.

ABSTRACT: Plants are central to complex networks of multitrophic interactions. Increasing evidence suggests that beneficial microorganisms (BMs) may be used as plant biostimulants and pest biocontrol agents. We investigated whether tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants are thoroughly colonized by the endophytic and entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, and how such colonization affects physiological parameters and the phenotype of plants grown under unstressed conditions or exposed to the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. As a positive control, a strain of the well-known biocontrol agent and growth inducer Trichoderma afroharzianum was used. As multitrophic interactions are often driven by (or have consequences on) volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by plan

SUBMITTER: Russo A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10762804 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature