Microbial Endophytes that Live within the Seeds of Two Tomato Hybrids Cultivated in Argentina

LÓPEZ, SILVINA; PASTORINO, GRACIELA; FRANCO, MARIO; MEDINA, ROCIO; LUCENTINI, CÉSAR; SAPARRAT, MARIO; BALATTI, PEDRO

Agronomy

MDPI

Año: 2018 vol. 8

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is probably the most important vegetable consumedaround the world, and like other produce is affected by stresses and diseases that reduce the yield andproduction. The purpose of this work was to study the phytobiome of the tomato seeds of two hybridsin order to understand first of all whether tomato cultivars host similar groups of organisms, as well astheir effect on the community structure, particularly of those microbes with the potential to promotegrowth and/or control plant pathogens. Different cultivars of tomato (genotypes) host significantlydifferent endophytic communities, which is also reflected at the order level. These communitiesare particularly rich in spore-forming bacteria that have the ability either to promote plant growthor synthetize antimicrobial compounds that deter plant pathogens. We conclude that the seeds ofthe tomato cultivars Elpida and Silverio are sources of endophytic bacteria capable of synthetizingantifungal substances that could potentially be used for biocontrol against plant-pathogenic fungi.