Salicylic acid mitigates physiological and proteomic changes induced by the SPCP1 strain of Potato virus X in tomato plants

• We examine the interactions Potato virus X-SPCP1/tomato/salicylic acid in time.
• PVX-SPCP1 alters photosynthesis, carbohydrate synthesis proteins and reduces RuBisCO.
• Exogenous SA treatment significantly increases tomato stress proteins.
• SA counteracts the PVX-SPCP1-induced changes through stabilization of photosystem II.
• Strongest effects of SA occur at the beginning of the PVX-SPCP1 pathogenesis cycle.

Induction of resistance by salicylic acid (SA) exogenous treatment is a complementary approach to control plant diseases. SA effect on Potato virus X (SPCP1 strain) – infected tomato plants was examined by analyzing their physiological parameters and proteomic profiling at initial infection. PVX-SPCP1 altered photosynthesis and carbohydrate synthesis proteins and elicited stress proteins. SA partially offset reduction in photosynthetic rate during infection by increasing mesophyll conductance. SA counteracted these changes through stabilization of photosystem II, increased proteins related with thermotolerance and stress, and decreased proteins related with stomatal opening. The strongest effects of SA occurred at the beginning of the pathogenesis cycle.