NIPGR unveils strategy deployed by resistant tomato cultivar against TOLCNDV

Scientists from National Institute of Plant Genomics Research (NIPGR), a Department of Biotechnology autonomous institution, have reported an effective defence strategy deployed by a resistant tomato cultivar against TOLCNDV. It employs Sw5a (R gene) that recognises AC4 protein (viral effector) of TOLCNDV to restrict virus spread. At the transcriptional level, the sly-mir159-slmyb33 module has been identified as governing gene expression of Sw5a. Thus, the investigators have provided mechanistic insight into slymir159-slmyb33–controlled Sw5a-mediated defence response in tomatoes against TOLCNDV. The findings could be translated into the development of resistance in susceptible cultivars of tomato through modern breeding or molecular approaches. Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (TOLCNDV) infection causes severe losses in tomato yield worldwide. Lack of information on resistance (R) genes against TOLCNDV has considerably retarded the pace of crop improvement against this rapidly spreading pathogen. Several attempts have been made to identify antiviral genes against TOLCNDV and related viruses.