Broad‐Spectrum Arthropod Resistance in Hybrids between High‐ and Low‐Acylsugar Tomato Lines

Abstract

Three elite tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L., syn. Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) breeding lines (TOM‐687, TOM‐688, TOM‐689) with high foliar acylsugar (AS) contents were obtained, and used along with two low‐AS lines (TOM‐690, TOM‐684) in hybrid combinations, to obtain six hybrids between one low‐AS line × one high‐AS line (= hybrids with intermediate AS levels), one hybrid between two high‐AS lines (= high‐AS hybrid), and one hybrid between two low‐AS lines (= low‐AS hybrid). These genotypes were tested for resistance to three different tomato pests (spider mites [Tetranychus urticae Koch], silverleaf whitefly [Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring], and the South American tomato pinworm [Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)]) along with hybrid TEX‐154 (low‐AS) and/or Solanum pennellii Correll ‘LA‐716’ (high‐AS wild accession). In all three instances, high‐AS genotypes showed higher levels of pest resistance than low‐AS genotypes. Hybrids with intermediate AS levels showed resistances that were just as high as those of high‐AS genotypes for Bemisia argentifolii and Tuta absoluta, and nearly as good as those for Tetranychus urticae. Acylsugars were confirmed as being a major component of the high levels of pest resistances found in S. pennellii—a component that was successfully introgressed into elite tomato breeding lines. Acylsugar‐mediated pest resistance is effective against a broad spectrum of tomato pests. Because high‐AS breeding lines are scarce, the deployment of hybrids between high‐AS line × low‐AS line would be a quick, viable alternative to obtain commercial pest‐resistant hybrids.