A study published in New Phytologist explores the critical role of the plant
hormone ethylene in promoting resistance of tomato fruits against Botrytis
cinerea, a fungus that causes grey mold in tomato plants.



Tomato is a widely consumed edible fruit which is a good source of several
vitamins and minerals. However, tomato fruits also face significant
challenges present in the environment. The damage from B. cinerea causes
devastating losses in yield and quality of tomato plants, which resulted in
serious financial losses for farmers.



The findings of the study showed that overexpression of ethylene response
factor SlERF.C1 enhanced resistance to B. cinerea. Additionally,
overexpression of mitogen-activated protein kinase SlMPK8 enhanced
resistance to B. cinerea without affecting ripening. The results of the
study show significant insights into managing gray mold disease in tomato
fruits.



[nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com]