Dr. Eloisa Vendamiatti

Trichomes: Beyond What Meets the Eye

Trichomes are tiny structures with inestimable value for the environment. The plants play several different functions related to biotic and abiotic stresses. They can promote protection against insect and microorganism attacks, help in temperature control, and tolerance to ultraviolet light, drought stress, and heavy metals detoxication. For humans, trichomes are a source of fiber, scents, pigments, medicines, and food additives. Due to the vast importance of these structures, a better comprehension of the evolution and genetics behind their development is essential to understanding and improving existing processes. My research work aims to explore the evolutionary pathway from type-IV trichomes in the Solanaceae family and answer some open questions about the development of glandular trichomes. This trichome type is a micro-trait related to plant juvenility and protection against insects. They are producers of acylsugars, a specialized metabolite with multiple actions against a broad insect spectrum. In this, our recent findings in trichome-mediated resistance advance the development of robust, naturally resistant tomato varieties, harnessing the potential of natural genetic variation. Moreover, by manipulating only 2 loci, we achieved exceptional results for a highly complex, polygenic trait, such as herbivory resistance in tomato.