Effects of Piriformospora indica on the growth, fruit quality and interaction with Tomato yellow leaf curl virus in tomato cultivars susceptible and resistant to TYCLV

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) resistant cultivar T07-4 and susceptible cultivar T07-1 were inoculated with the root endophytic fungus, Piriformospora indica in greenhouse to study the effects of P. indica inoculation on the tomato growth, early yield, fruit quality and resistance to TYCLV. The results indicated that P. indica stimulated root growth, promoted the growth of tomato plants between 2–6 weeks for T07-1 and 2–4 weeks for T07-4 cultivar after inoculation. The early fruit yield was improved by 12.8 % for susceptible cultivar T07-1, but no significant difference for resistant cultivar T07-4. The taste of fruits are even better because of higher ratio of TSS to TA for two cultivars and P. indica increased TSS and firmness for cultivar T07-1. P. indica enhanced more pathogensis-related genes expressions in inoculated susceptible cultivar T07-1 than in resistant cultivar T07-4 at 2 weeks after inoculation. P. indica induced resistance against TYCLV for susceptible cultivar, reduced TYCLV incidence and decreased disease index by 26 % and 1.25 in natural TYCLV infection. One may draw an inference that P. indica inoculation can lead to better vegetative growth, higher early yield and induced resistance for TYLCV-susceptiable cultivar T07-1 in practical greenhouse condition.