The Roles of Different Types of Trichomes in Tomato Resistance to Cold, Drought, Whiteflies, and Botrytis

Abstract

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most popular vegetables in the world. In tomato production, due to the effects of diseases, insect pests, drought, and cold damage, large-scale production reduction is often caused. Plant trichomes are protruding attachments distributed on the surface of different plants, providing protection for plants. When the plant is under external stress, the trichomes can play an important role in protecting the plant from damage through its physical structure. The density and type of different trichomes are closely related to the stress resistance of tomatoes. The tomato wo mutant LA3186 (referred to herein as “3186M”), LA3186 (referred to herein as “3186L”), the ln mutant LA3-071 (referred to herein as “3-071”), and the tomato cultivar Jia Ren (referred to herein as “JR”, used as the control), which possess different numbers of trichomes on the surface of the leaves, were used as materials; the glandular characteristics, types, and densities of the trichomes were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM); and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe the subcellular structure in the leaves. The relationship between the different tomato trichomes and stress resistance was investigated with treatments of low temperature, drought, disease, and insects. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical basis for the further utilization and regulation of the trichome-related characteristics of tomatoes.