Adaptability Analysis of Tuta absoluta to Different Hosts and Related Salivary Genes Identification

Abstract

Tuta absoluta is a significant agricultural pest primarily affecting Solanaceae plants, resulting in substantial economic losses in agriculture. Insect saliva is an intermediary between insects and plants, playing a crucial role in modulating host adaptability and plant defense. This study analyzed the adaptive differences of T. absoluta on four plants using the two-sex life table method. Results indicated that the host adaptability of T. absoluta to tobacco is worse than its adaptability to the other three varieties of tomatoes. The salivary gland transcriptome analysis and signal peptide prediction revealed that Trypsin, B5 V51–1498, and Ta74 were highly expressed in the salivary glands of T. absoluta subjected to tobacco treatment and exhibit the characteristics of secretory proteins, alongside significant feeding selection differences. Our findings elucidate the adaptive strategies of T. absoluta larvae on various Solanaceae plants and offer new insights into the salivary protein-mediated plant defense processes.