Metabolic Profiling of Tomato Plants Infected with Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus: Insights into Plant Defense Mechanisms and Potential Prebiotic Interventions

This study investigates the metabolic profiling of tomato plants infected with Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV), comparing infected fruits and leaves to uninfected controls. Metabolites were extracted using a 1:1 mixture of CH₃OH-d₄ and D₂O KH₂PO₄ buffer and analyzed using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The study identified 28 shared metabolites, with some unique to each matrix. Multivariate analyses revealed metabolic changes in sugars, hydroxycinnamic acids, amino acids, organic acids, sterols, and fatty acids in both fruits and leaves due to viral infection. Osmolytes like myo-inositol, proline, and trigonelline correlated with increasing viral load in leaves. This novel approach combines NMR-based metabolomics with regenerative agricultural practices, aiming for viral control while improving plant health and sustainability. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of this methodology for ToBRFV in tomatoes, providing insights into metabolic shifts and potential strategies for enhancing plant resistance and microbiome regeneration.