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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #163795
Title: TOMATO IRREGULAR RIPENING DISORDER: DECIPHERING CHANGES IN PLANT PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE TO WHITEFLY FEEDING USING MICROARRAY TECHNOLOGY

Author
item McKenzie, Cindy
item SINISTERRA, XIOMARA - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item POWELL, CHARLES - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item Bausher, Michael
item Albano, Joseph
item Shatters, Robert - Bob

Submitted to: Tomato Disease Workshop
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2004
Publication Date: 6/21/2004
Citation: Mckenzie, C.L., Sinisterra, X.H., Powell, C.A., Bausher, M.G., Albano, J.P., Shatters, R.G. 2004. Tomato irregular ripening disorder: deciphering changes in plant physiological response to whitefly feeding using microarray technology. Proceedings of hte First International Symposium on Tomato Diseases. p. 347-351.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Tomato irregular ripening (TIR) disorder has been associated with feeding by silverleaf whitefly (SLW) Bemisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring). Symptoms of this physiological disorder do not appear on tomato foliage where whitefly feed, but appear later as an uneven development of fruit color. Plants infested with SLW can develop fruit with external longitudinal white or yellow streaks resulting in unmarketable fruit. TIR internal symptoms consist of a lack of internal coloring of the fruit, thereby reducing post harvest quality. The mechanism(s) associated with the development of TIR has not been identified. Gene array technology was applied to tomato as a model system to examine TIR. Our objective was to study gene expression over time in tomato plants subjected to a moderate infestation of whitefly, resulting in the development of TIR. Multiple plant harvests of old and young leaves, stems, roots, flowers and fruit from tomato with and without whitefly were processed for nutritional analysis and RNA extraction. RNA was labeled and hybridized to the gene array membrane to determine which genes SLW feeding influences. Plants infested with whitefly were larger, produced more leaves, flowers and fruit, but significantly less fruit ripened compared to plants without whitefly. Plant nutrition and preliminary RNA profiling results will be presented.