Evaluation of RNA Interference (RNAi)-Based Biotechnological Strategies for the Control of Tomato Leaf Curl Disease Transmitted by Bemisia tabaci (Whitefly) in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Plants

Abstract

Bemisia tabaci whiteflies are the carrier of Tomato Leaf Curl Disease (ToLCD), which is a major issue for tomato production worldwide and seems to recur. In this study, we examined the potential efficacy of RNA interference (RNAi) biotechnology in treating ToLCD in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). One hundred tomato plants were divided equally into control and RNAi-treated groups using a fully randomized method. Double-stranded RNA was sprayed on the skin to target the viral Rep gene as part of the RNA interference strategy. Following the plants' exposure to viruliferous whiteflies, a number of factors were monitored, including the number of whiteflies, the severity of the disease, the height of the plants, the leaf curl score, the viral load, and the yield per plant. The RNAi plants exhibited clear reductions in the number of whiteflies (approximately 53.3%), disease severity (57.5%), leaf curl score (from 4.46 to 1.84), and viral load (about 54.1%) as compared to the controls. In the meantime, the plants themselves appeared to grow bigger; their height went from 24.96 cm to 36.34 cm, and their output per plant increased by almost 90.5%, which is a significant gain. The differences were highly significant (p < 0.001) in each of these contrasts. Additionally, a Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship (r = -0.908) between viral load and yield. Even though the specifics still need to be worked out, RNAi appears to be a highly promising and possibly more sustainable route for controlling ToLCD in tomatoes.