Effect of plant variety, plant age and photoperiod on glandular pubescence and host-plant resistance to potato moth (Phthorimaea operculella) in Lycopersicon spp.

The effect of plant age and daylength on glandular pubescence was determined for two lines of tomato derived from Lycopersicon hirsutum (BTN 979 and LA 1777A) and a variety of L. esculentum (N 91-1-1-1-1). Densities of type I, IV, VI and VII glandular trichomes were lowest in N 91-1-1-1-1 and, over all varieties, were more dense on plants aged greater than 6 wk. Daylength interacted with variety to significantly affect densities of type VII trichomes only. Host-plant resistance to Phthorimaea operculella was determined in preliminary tests using insects cultured from founders from a potato crop and in confirmatory tests using (less readily available) insects recovered from foliage of a tomato crop. Mortality of ex-potato neonates on LA 1777 A and BTN 979 foliage was higher 18 h after placement than for N 91-1-1-1-1, with no effect of day length or plant age. Mortality for ex-tomato neonates followed a similar trend. Ten days later, two-thirds of ex-tomato larvae had established mines on N 91-1-1-1-1 but fewer (16.7 %) were live on other varieties. Stepwise multiple regression using variety as the sole factor was significant (P < 0.001) in accounting for 61.4% of the variation in extomato larval survival but addition of other factors to the regression model was not significant. BTN 979 supported fewer, smaller adults to develop than did N 91-1-1-1-1, whilst no adults developed on LA 1777 A. In a non-choice test using ex-potato adults, significantly more eggs were laid on N 91-1-1-1-1 than on L. hirsutum varieties and 9-wk-old plants were preferred over plants three weeks older or younger. The same variety and plant age trends were evident in a free-choice test using ex-tomato adults.