Analysis of the TGA gene family and the role of SlTGA03 in tomato resistance to Meloidogyne enterolobii

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an economically significant crop that faces numerous biotic stresses, particularly from Meloidogyne enterolobii. In this study, we investigated the role of the TGA transcription factor (TF) family in tomato resistance to M. enterolobii. A total of ten putative SlTGAs were identified, and their characteristics, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, and conserved motifs were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the tomato TGA family can be classified into five groups. Cis-regulatory element analysis revealed that the promoters of SlTGAs are enriched with hormone-responsive and stress-related elements. Furthermore, SlTGA03 was identified as playing a significant role in defense against M. enterolobii. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of SlTGA03 resulted in increased susceptibility to nematode infection, as evidenced by a higher number of galls and egg masses in silenced plants. These findings suggest that the SlTGA03 is essential for tomato to defend against root-knot nematodes and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying nematode resistance in tomato.