Loss of susceptibility as an alternative tool in tomato defence to Meloidogyne incognita

Sedentary endoparasitic root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the most damaging pest in global agriculture. Various approaches, most focusing on the introduction of resistance genes in plants, have been undertaken to control these pathogens. Recently, plant activators provide an appealing management option by stimulating active plant defence mechanisms. One of the most interesting activators is benzo (1,2,3) thiodiazole-7-carbothioic acid S-methyl ester (BTH), which induces a broad spectrum, long lasting, and systemic immunity against different pathogens. The effect of the BTH pre-treatment in the compatible interaction tomato-Meloidogyne incognita was investigated. We found that BTH significantly reduces nematode reproduction and affects morphology of nematode feeding sites, thus enhancing resistance against infection.