Systemic resistance induced in tomato plants by Beauveria bassiana‐derived proteins against tomato yellow leaf curl virus and aphid Myzus persicae

Abstract BACKGROUND Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an economically important vegetable crop around the globe. Tomato yellow leaf curling (TYLC) is the most devastating viral disease posing a serious threat to tomato production throughout the tropical and subtropical world. Induction of microbe‐mediated systemic resistance in plants has been of great interest in recent years as a novel microbiological tool in disease and insect pest management. This in‐vitro study aimed to determine the effectiveness of different strains (BB252, BB72 and ARSEF‐2860) of a hypocreal fungus Beauveria bassiana against TYLCV disease and aphid Myzus persicae . Potted tomato plants exogenously treated with conidial and filtrate suspensions of B. bassiana strains and of their partially purified or purified proteins were exposed to TYLCV inoculum and aphid M. persicae . RESULTS Results showed a significant suppression of TYLCV disease severity index by the exogenous application of conidial, filtrate and protein treatments of all B. bassiana strains and this response was directly proportional to the treatment concentration. Similarly, mean fecundity rate of M. persicae was also significantly reduced by the highest concentration of ARSEF‐2860‐derived elicitor protein PeBb1 , followed by the highest concentrations of BB252‐ and BB72‐derived partially purified proteins. Moreover, these B. bassiana ‐derived proteins also caused a significant upregulation of most of the plant immune marker genes associated with plant defense. CONCLUSION Overall, the study findings suggest that these B. bassiana strains and their partially purified or purified elicitor proteins could be effective biological tools for the management of TYLCV and aphid infestation on tomato plants. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.