CAN ROOT ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI CONFINE SPREAD OF PEPINO MOSAIC VIRUS IN TOMATO?
Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) is nowadays known to infect tomato severely. At the moment the virus can only be controlled by comprehensive disinfection and care in the greenhouse. Therefore, this project aimed to test the fungi as biological agents to confine the disease. Pythium aphanidermatum, Pythium oligandrum, and Piriformospora indica were selected because they are known to either promote plant growth or delay infection and distribution of PepMV, as found after pre-infection with P. aphanidermatum. Tomatoes cv. Hildares were grown in nutrient solution in a greenhouse for 84 days. Plants were inoculated with a suspension of spores and mycelium of the three fungi. Twenty days later, leaves of 50% of the plants were inoculated mechanically with PepMV leave homogenates containing the French-isolate E 397/1. Success of infection was confirmed and quantified with DAS-ELISA. Infection of the three fungi was confirmed by light microscopy. Expression of several genes involved in plant defen
