Relationships between trichome types and spider mite (Tetranychus evansi) repellence in tomatoes with respect to foliar zingiberene contents

Zingiberene, a sesquiterpene present in glandular trichomes of Lycopersicon hirsutum Dunal var. hirsutum 'PI-127826', is responsible for the high level of arthropod resistance in this taxon. The current paper has the following objectives: (a) to quantify zingiberene content in tomato plants obtained from the interspecific cross L. esculentum Mill. x L. hirsutum var hirsutum; (b) to identify, classify and quantify glandular and non-glandular trichome types present in those plants; (c) to assess the level of resistance of those genotypes to spider mites (Tetranychus evansi); (d) to estimate correlations between glandular trichomes, zingiberene contents and mite repellence. Zingiberene content were quantified by a colorimetric method (Freitas, 1999); trichomes were counted from foliar paradermic slide preparations; mite resistance was assessed by a repellence test (Weston & Snyder, 1990). The results indicate that indirect selection for zingiberene content led to correlated increases both in the number of glandular trichomes (particulary type IV) and in the levels of mite repellence. These results were found both in BPX-368 [=F2 ( L. esculentum 'TOM-556' x L hirsutum var. hirsutum 'PI-127826')] and in the subsequent generation BPX-368B (which represents one additional backcross to L. esculentum). Zingiberene appears therefore to be the main factor involved in mite repellence. Density of glandular trichomes in tomato leaflets markedly influences total zingiberene content. Type IV trichome density was the highest, and it was highly correlated to zingiberene content.