title: Tomato below ground-above ground interactions: Trichoderma longibrachiatum affects the performance of Macrosiphum euphorbiae and its natural antagonists.
abstract: Below ground and above ground plant-insect-microorganism interactions are complex and regulate most of the developmental responses of important crop plants such as tomato. We investigated the influence of root colonization by a nonmycorrhizal plant-growth-promoting fungus on direct and indirect defenses of tomato plant against aphids. The multitrophic system included the plant Solanum lycopersicum ('San Marzano nano'), the root-associated biocontrol fungus Trichoderma longibrachiatum strain MK1, the aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae (a tomato pest), the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi, and the aphid predator Macrolophus pygmaeus. Laboratory bioassays were performed to assess the effect of T. longibrachiatum MK1, interacting with the tomato plant, on quantity and quality of volatile organic compounds (VOC) released by tomato plant, aphid development and reproduction, parasitoid behavior, and predator behavior and development. When compared with the uncolonized controls, plants whose roots were colonized by T. longibrachiatum MK1 showed quantitative differences in the release of specific VOC, better aphid population growth indices, a higher attractiveness toward the aphid parasitoid and the aphid predator, and a quicker development of aphid predator. These findings support the development of novel strategies of integrated control of aphid pests. The species-specific or strain-specific characteristics of these below ground-above ground interactions remain to be assessed.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bossi
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cascone
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Digilio
authors.forename: Juliana Duran
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Prieto
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fanti
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guerrieri
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iodice
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lingua
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorito
authors.forename: Massimo E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Maffei
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Massa
authors.forename: Michelina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruocco
authors.forename: Raffaele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sasso
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trotta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000502:physiology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006927:Hymenoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D013045:Species Specificity; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000502:physiology*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds