Si treatment may enhance tomato resistance to R. solanacearum infection in three ways: activating PTI- related responses; altering disease resistance and tolerance of tomato plants by influencing multiple hormone (e.g., SA, JA, ET, and auxin) signaling pathways; and alleviating adverse effects (e.g., senescence, water-deficit, and oxidative stress) caused by infection. The gene discussed is SERPINB6; the disease is infection.