The Role of ncRNAs in Parasitic Plant Infection and Resistance Management in Tomato Breeding

Tomato is one of the most important agricultural crops in the World and many biotic stresses exist affecting its production. Parasitic weeds in particular are important in tomato production, causing billions of dollars in losses. Although the problem is serious and widespread, control methods are restricted, relying mostly on chemicals with negative effects on the environment and human health. In this regard, biotechnological methods are gaining importance, especially non-coding RNAs. Even though not the full potential of non-coding RNAs is understood fully, they hold the potential to provide wide range of applications such as plant breeding, development of novel types of pesticide, and determination of gene function. Therefore, with new technology and new approaches the use of non-coding RNAs has a potential that can be a powerful alternative to deal with parasitic weed. In this review article, it was mainly focused on the mechanism of non-coding RNAs, their transfer mechanisms, potential usage areas and the possible role in plant breeding. Given these challenges, the role of ncRNAs in tomato improvement deserves closer attention, as outlined in this review.