AbstractBACKGROUNDTomato yellow leaf curl virus disease (TYLCVD) causes severe to economic losses in tomato crops in China. The control of TYLCVD is based primarily on the use of synthetic insecticide to control its vector whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). To look for an alternative method for disease control, we investigated the effect of eugenol on controlling TYLCVD. The potential of eugenol to trigger systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in tomato (Jiangsu 14) plants against TYLCV was also investigated.RESULTSIn greenhouse experiments, eugenol significantly reduced disease severity when applied as a foliar spray, thus demonstrating a systemic effect. The disease spread rapidly in control plants and by the end of the experiment almost all control plants showed severe symptoms. Eugenol also induced H2O2 accumulation in tomato plants. Activities of peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) were significantly induced compared with those of control plants. As further consequences, increase of salicylic acid (SA) levels and expression of PR‐1 proteins, a molecular marker of SAR in tomato, could also be observed.CONCLUSIONThis is the first report of eugenol as an elicitor and its ability to suppress plant virus diseases under greenhouse conditions. It is suggested that eugenol has the potential to be an effective biocontrol agent against TYLCV in tomato plants. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry