Trichoderma Koningii enhances tolerance against thermal stress by regulating ROS metabolism in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. ) plants

Abstract

ABSTRACT Thermal stress (TS) can be detrimental to tomato crop at different growth stages and is accounted by the generation of highly fatal reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this study, the effects of Trichoderma koningii ITCC 5201 (TK) were investigated on the tolerance of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants under TS. TS elevated SOD, POD, PPO PAL, and Proline activity in the present study. However, a further reduction was observed in these enzymatic activities by the application of TK in the stressed and treated seedlings, while an increase in the starch, protein, and total phenol content was observed in stressed and treated plants. TS affirms the increase in H2O2 generation and lignin deposition, but reduction in the accumulation was observed by the treatment of TK to tomato seeds. In conclusion, TK proved to be very beneficial in imparting resistance to the tomato plants against heat stress through improved modulation of antioxidants.