نقش سیگنال‌دهی کلسیم در برهمکنش گوجه‌فرنگی و نماتد ریشه‌گرهی

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a widely cultivated and consumed vegetable belonging to the Solanaceae family. Among the pathogens that attack to this plant, root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the main constrains of production of this crop. Calcium ions (Ca^(+2)) are crucial for various vital aspects in plants, including immune responses. Calcium signaling is crucial in both pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) responses. Proteins containing the EF-hand motif are responsible for the perception of calcium and translating it into a defense response. Calmodulin (CaM) is a major calcium receptor in eukaryotes, modulating the activity of various downstream proteins in response to calcium signals. In this study, to investigate the role of calmodulin proteins in root-knot nematode infection, 5- and 10-day-old galls of M. incognita were harvested in susceptible cultivar MoneyMaker. The expression of CaM1-6 genes was evaluated using the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. The results showed that the expression of CaM1-6 genes responded irregularly to nematode infection, with varying levels of gene expression indicating different roles for each CaM1-6 genes in regulating defense responses. The efficacy of calcium channel blockers in reducing the population of root-knot nematodes was investigated. Also, the treatment of the sussceptible cultivar MoneyMaker with a concentration of 100 μM LaCl_3, which is a calcium channel blocker, reduces the population of M. incognita. The study employed a staining technique to visualize the roots of tomatoes infected with nematodes, followed by using acid fuchsin staining and counting the number of galls and all developmental stages of nematodes the results indicated that the calcium channel blocker significantly reduced the infection of M. incognita. This finding suggests that use of lanthanum chloride may be a valuable tool in managing root-knot nematode infestations. Furthermore, ongoing research is focused on examining the changes in defense enzymes in response to used concentration of LaCl_3, which may provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of nematode resistance.