Endophytic Beauveria bassianaof Tomato Resisted the Damage from Whitefly Bemisia tabaciby Mediating the Accumulation of Plant-Specialized Metabolites

Beauveria bassianaacts as an endophytic fungus that controls herbivorous pests by stimulating plant defenses and inducing systemic resistance. Through multiomics analysis, 325 differential metabolites and 1739 differential expressed genes were observed in tomatoes treated with B. bassianaby root irrigation; meanwhile, 152 differential metabolites and 1002 differential genes were observed in tomatoes treated by local leaf spraying. Among the upregulated metabolites were α-solanine, 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid, clerodendrin A, and peucedanin, which demonstrated anti-insect activity. These differential metabolites were primarily associated with alkaloid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and tryptophan metabolism pathways. Furthermore, the gene silencing of UDP-glucose:sterol glucosyltransferase, a gene involved in α-solanine synthesis, indicated that B. bassianacould inhibit the reproduction of whiteflies by regulating α-solanine. This study highlighted the ability of B. bassianato modulate plant secondary metabolites and emphasized the significance of understanding and harnessing multitrophic interactions of endophytic B. bassianafor sustainable agriculture.