Resistance of tomato plant genotypes with high foliar allelochemical contents to the leafminer Liriomyza trifolii

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to assess the resistance of tomato genotypes with high foliar levels of allelochemicals to the leafminer Liriomyza trifolii. Eight tomato genotypes with contrasting levels of three different alellochemicals were tested for leafminer resistance: the TOM-687 and TOM-688 lines, which are both rich in acylsugar; ZGB-703 and ZGB-704, which are rich in zingiberene; BPX-365G-899-07-04-02 and BPX-367E-238-02, which are rich in 2-tridecanone; and 2 standard commercial hybrids (Deborah Max and Bravo F1) with low-allelochemical content. Thirty days after being transplanted, nine potted plants of each of the treatments were transferred to a phytotron chamber, into which 1600 unsexed leafminer adults from a mass rearing were released. The number of mines and the percentage of leaves and leaflets attacked (= with the presence of punctures) were evaluated. Six days later, the number of pupae was recorded. The genotypes with high levels of acylsugar were associated with higher levels of resistance to leaf miner L. trifolii, through antixenosis and antibiosis mechanisms. At least one of the 2-tridecanone-rich lines (BPX -365G-899-07-04-02) showed some level of resistance via an antibiosis mechanism.