Impact of TsvlRNA1 infection on the Trichoderma–tomato interaction under stress conditions
Author(s)
Date Issued
July 8, 2026
Type
conferenceObject
Abstract
Trichoderma species are well known for supporting plant growth and reinforcing stress resilience, not only by suppressing pathogens but also by priming systemic defenses that enhance the plant’s ability to cope with environmental and biological challenges. In contrast, the effect of viroid-like RNAs in beneficial fungi remain largely understudied, although they have recently emerged as a key research topic due to their potential influence on fungal biology and plant–fungus interactions. In this study, we investigated the role of a viroid-like RNA (TsvlRNA1) in two Trichoderma species, T. harzianum (strain T100) and T. spirale (strain T45), generated by anastomosis from a T45 donor carrying the viroid. Using isogenic lines either carrying (+) or lacking (-) the TsvlRNA1, we evaluated the tripartite plant-fungus-viroid interaction in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. San Marzano nano) under biotic (Botrytis cinerea infection) and abiotic (salinity) stress conditions. Neither T. harzianum T100 nor T. spirale T45 lines showed a substantial impact on tomato plant growth parameters overall, indicating the absence of a pronounced biostimulatory effect. However, plants treated with the T. spirale T45 (+) displayed a modest but statistically significant increase in selected growth parameters compared with non-colonized plants. Under stress conditions, both fungal isogenic lines exerted similar effects on tomato plants, primarily through the induction of physiological priming of stress-response pathways. Notably, this fungus-induced priming appears to be further strengthened in the presence of TsvlRNA1, resulting in an improved plant response to both biotic and abiotic stresses. This enhanced primed state may contribute to increased stress tolerance through optimized defense activation and resource reallocation. Overall, our findings suggest that TsvlRNA1 may play a modulatory role in Trichoderma–plant interactions and plant stress resilience, although further investigation is required to fully elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
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638fae079c0d91b01173fac719352560
Conference(s)
VII CONVEGNO AISSA#UNDER40 "PRESENTE E FUTURO DELLE SCIENZE AGRARIE, FORESTALI E ALIMENTARI Sfide e prospettive per le nuove generazioni"