The greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood, is the most common and abundant whitefly in Argentine horticultural greenhouse crops, especially in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Resistance in some wild tomato relatives, such as S. peruvianum, S. habrochaites and S. pennellii to the greenhouse whitefly has been described. The Mi gene confers effective resistance against several species of insects, among them the sweet potato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius. Resistance to T. vaporariorum was found in the prebreeding line FCN 93-6-2, derived from a cross between S. lycopersicum cultivar Uco Plata INTA (MiMi) and the wild line FCN 3-5 S. habrochaites. The purpose of this study was to evaluate resistance to T. vaporariorum in tomato genotypes and to study the relationship between this resistance and the presence of the REX-1 marker, which is linked to the Mi gene. In a free-choice assay, the average number of adults per leaf and the number of immatures on the middle and basal plant parts were analyzed. In a no-choice assay, the oviposition rate and adult survival rate were calculated. For all variables analyzed, FCN 3-5 was the most resistant strain. Variations were found in the F2 progeny between the prebreeding line FCN 13-1-6-1 and cv. Uco Plata INTA. Results from the F2 progeny indicate that resistance to T. vaporariorum may be polygenic with transgressive segregation. Whitefly resistance was found to be independent of the REX-1 marker.

O metabólito secundário 2-tridecanona, secretado pelos tricomas glandulares tipo VI das folhas de tomateiro silvestre, Lycopersicon hirsutum L., confere-lhe resistência a uma grande variedade de insetos, inclusive a traça-do-tomateiro, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a concentração de 2- tridecanona, a densidade de tricomas glandulares tipo VI e o grau de infestação da traça-do-tomateiro na cultivar suscetível 'Uco Plata' (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), na linhagem resistente PI 134417 (L. hirsutum f. glabratum) e em suas progênies F1 e F2. Foram avaliadas ainda as possíveis associações entre a concentração de 2-tridecanona, a densidade de tricomas glandulares tipo VI e o grau de infestação da traça-do-tomateiro. O grau médio de infestação da traça-do-tomateiro em 'Uco Plata' foi significativamente superior ao obtido em PI 134417. Ainda que a concentração de 2-tridecanona tenha sido significativamente superior no parental resistente, a presença deste metabólito somente explicaria parcialmente a resistência (R² = 8,17%). Não se detectaram diferenças significativas na densidade de tricomas tipo VI entre o parental suscetível e o resistente. Este comportamento ocorreu independentemente do conteúdo de 2-tridecanona e do grau de infestação da traça-do-tomateiro.

The secondary metabolite 2-tridecanone, secreted by the type VI glandular trichomes present in the leaves of Lycopersicon hirsutum L., make it resistant to a great variety of insects, including the tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). The 2-tridecanone concentration, the type VI glandular trichome densities and the pinworm infestation degree were evaluated on the Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. susceptible cultivar 'Uco Plata', on the Lycopersicon hirsutum f. glabratum resistant accession PI 134417 and on their F1 and F2. The mean infestation degree with pinworm larvae was significantly higher in 'Uco Plata' than in PI 134417. The 2-tridecanone concentration was significantly higher in the resistant parent, but the presence of this metabolite could only partially account for the resistance (R²= 8.17%). No significant differences were detected in the type VI glandular trichomes densities between the susceptible and resistant parents. This trait was independent of the 2-tridecanone level and the pinworm infestation degree.

Os tricomas glandulares presentes nas folhas e ramos das plantas do gênero Lycopersicon são responsáveis pela secreção de metabólitos de diferentes naturezas. A presença de alguns desses compostos tem sido associada à resistência do tomate a diferentes insetos. A traça-do-tomateiro, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), é uma das pragas mais nocivas da América do Sul. O adulto oviposita sobre as folhas do tomate e suas larvas abrem galerias no mesófilo das folhas, ramos, flores e frutos. As espécies silvestres do tomate conservam a capacidade de biossintetizar compostos químicos que lhes conferem resistência a esta praga. No presente trabalho, foi avaliada a preferência para oviposição desse inseto sobre folhas com e sem tricomas glandulares de L. esculentum (Mill.) cv. Uco Plata, suscetível, e de L. hirsutum f. glabratum (Mull.) PI 134417, espécie silvestre afim ao tomate, e resistente à traça. Os resultados sugerem que as fêmeas ovipositam indistintamente sobre as folhas de ambas espécies, independentemente da presença, ou não, dos tricomas glandulares. E a presença destes e de seus exsudatos não têm efeito inibidor na oviposição do inseto.

In the genus Lycopersicon, different metabolites are secreted by the glandular trichomes of leaves and stems. These compounds have been associated to different tomato pests resistance. The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is one of the most harmful pests in South America. The females oviposit on tomato leaves and the larvae mine the leaf mesophyl, stems, flowers and fruits. Some wild accessions of Lycopersicon keep their capacity to synthesize allelochemicals that protect them from the pest. In this paper a comparison was made between the tomato pinworm oviposition on leaves with and without trichomes of L. esculentum (Mill.) cv. Uco Plata, a susceptible cultivar, and L. hirsutum f. glabratum (Mull.) PI 134417, a resistant wild accession. Results suggest that the female oviposit without distinction on the leaves of both species, with or without glandular trichomes. The presence of these trichomes and their exudates do not have an inhibitor effect on the insect oviposition.