RNA-seq data from two Mediterranean tomato landraces and two commercial varieties under drought and well-watered conditions

This study investigates the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) by examining the transcriptomic responses of two drought-tolerant Mediterranean landraces, ‘de Ramellet’ and ‘Lucariello,’ alongside two commercial varieties, ‘Moneymaker’ and ‘Ailsa Craig.’ To explore the impact of water availability on gene expression, plants were subjected to two irrigation treatments: well-watered conditions that provided 100% of the plant's evapotranspiration needs and water stress conditions that reduced irrigation to 50% of the well-watered volume. Subsequent RNA sequencing of leaf and root tissues revealed distinct drought-responsive gene activation, with landraces exhibiting a targeted activation of drought- and stress-related pathways, in contrast to the broader metabolic responses seen in commercial varieties.The following dataset includes raw count data for all 48 samples in the study, and a metadata file description of the samples.