Using natural biostimulants for enhancing defense response of tomatoes against aphids.

ABSTRACT: To explore alternative methods for insect control, we investigated the effectiveness of natural biostimulants in triggering defense responses against the cotton-melon aphid Aphis gossypii on tomato plants. The tested biostimulants were rosemary essential oil, the fungus Trichoderma harzianum, the PGPR (Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria) Bacillus subtilis, and a mix of microalgae. Their effects were compared to an untreated control and to the chemical product Bion (a salicylic acid pathway inducer) as a positive control. Tomato seedlings were exposed to aphid infestation at different leaf levels, and aphid colony development was monitored over time. The impact of biostimulants was assessed by counting aphid numbers at 72 h post-infestation. Additionally, aphid fecundity was evaluated in

SUBMITTER: Fakraoui A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12822957 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature