Inheritance of type IV glandular trichome density and its association with whitefly resistance from Solanum galapagense accession LA1401

Abstract

Tomato is affected by a large number of arthropod pests, among which the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is considered to be one of the most destructive. Several accessions of the wild species of Solanum galapagense, including accession LA1401, are considered resistant to whitefly (B. tabaci). This resistance has been associated with the presence of type IV glandular trichomes on the leaf surface. Our research aimed to study the inheritance of type IV glandular trichome density and its association with resistance to whitefly (B. tabaci biotype B) in populations derived from the interspecific cross Solanum lycopersicum × S. galapagense ‘LA1401.’ High estimates for both broad-sense and narrow-sense heritabilities of type IV glandular trichome densities suggest that inheritance of this trait is not complex. Whitefly resistance was associated with high density of type IV glandular trichomes. F2 (S. galapagense × S. lycopersicum) population plants selected for the highest densities of type IV glandular trichomes showed similar levels of resistance to those found in the donor of resistance LA1401.