Annals of Applied Biology (2006) 148, 223-229

S. Hodge, T.W. Pope, M. Holaschke and G. Powell (2006)
The effect of ß-aminobutyric acid on the growth of herbivorous insects feeding on Brassicaceae
Annals of Applied Biology 148 (3), 223-229
Abstract: dl-ß-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) is a nonprotein amino acid that can enhance defences in a variety of plants against a wide range of pathogens. BABA can also reduce infestation by phytopathogenic nematodes and has recently been shown to suppress the growth of aphids feeding on legumes. This investigation examined the effect of applying BABA as a root drench to a range of Brassicaceae, including Arabidopsis thaliana, on the performance of two species of aphid (Myzus persicae and Brevicoryne brassicae) and the larvae of two species of Lepidoptera (Trichoplusia ni and Plutella xylostella). Application of BABA reduced the performance of all four insect species, and inhibition of insects occurred on all the plants tested. The results illustrate that BABA-induced resistance (BABA-IR) can affect generalist and specialist insect herbivores and inhibit insects feeding with mandibulate as well as sap-feeding mouthparts. The BABA-induced suppression of B. brassicae and P. xylostella feeding on A. thaliana provides a means to further examine the mechanisms of BABA-IR to insects using this model plant.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Simon Hodge

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Myzus persicae
	Plutella xylostella
	Trichoplusia ni
	Brevicoryne brassicae