Tricomas: defesa ou vulnerabilidade para a planta na interação com microrganismos?

The plant surface is one of the first sites of contact with microorganisms, where structures such as the cuticle and trichomes are responsible for interfering with this initial interaction. Trichomes, while protecting plants from microorganisms, can also facilitate infection by pathogens. The density of trichomes varies among species, and the amount and type of these structures in plant organs can confer resistance or susceptibility of plants to microorganisms. The trichomes, non-glandular and glandular, act as a barrier, preventing the adherence of the infective structures of the pathogens on the plant surface. In addition, glandular trichomes also secrete exudates (products of plant metabolism), which have antimicrobial properties, negatively interfering with the development of many bacterial and fungal diseases. However, both trichomes are favorable sites for the penetration and multiplication of plant pathogens, possibly because they provide a certain level of moisture and nutrients for the development of fungi and bacteria. Contrary to the view that trichomes only provide protection against plant pathogens, by hindering their adhesion, they can also become preferential sites for infection.