The impact of mycorrhizal symbiosis on tomato fruit quality

The project investigates the potential impact of mycorrhizal fungi, which have been acknowledged as a new class of bio-fertilizers, on the quality of vegetables. To verify such a hypothesis, we selected tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) as a model plant to examine whether the beneficial effects of mycorrhizal fungi on plant development may be extended to some qualitative fruit features. As a second step, five genes related to carotenoid biosynthesis and volatile compounds were selected. Their expression was investigated through a real-time RT-PCR comparison of mycorrhized and non-mycorrhized plants