Effects of grafting on endophytes of tomato and its relationship with gray mold disease

As one of the globally important vegetable crops, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is susceptible to various biological stresses during its growth, especially the gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea, which has become one of the major diseases affecting tomato growth and yield. Although traditional chemical control methods are effective in the short term, long-term use may lead to increased drug resistance of pathogenic bacteria and environmental pollution. Therefore, it is particularly important to find an environmentally friendly and effective disease management strategy. Grafting, as an agronomic measure, has been proven to promote plant growth and inhibit plant diseases.In this study, we investigated the effects of grafting on the endophytic bacteria in resistant and susceptible parts of tomato by screening out resistant/susceptible rootstocks. High-throughput sequencing (IIIumina MiSeq) technology was used to determine the changes in the community structure and composition of endophytic bacteria in the resistant/susceptible parts of grafted tomatoes under pathogenic stress. The aim is to provide a new perspective on the mechanism of improving tomato gray mold resistance through grafting and lay the foundation for the development of biological control strategies based on endophytic bacteria.