Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2019) 85 (1 - e01468-18)
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Can herbivore-induced volatiles protect plants by increasing the herbivores' susceptibility to natural pathogens?
Applied and Environmental Microbiology 85 (1 - e01468-18)
Abstract: In response to insect herbivory, plants mobilize various defenses. Defense responses include the release of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that can serve as signals to alert undamaged tissues and to attract natural enemies of the herbivores. Some HIPVs can have a direct negative impact on herbivore survival, but it is not well understood by what mechanisms. Here, we tested the hypothesis that exposure to HIPVs renders insects more susceptible to natural pathogens. Exposure of the caterpillars of the noctuid Spodoptera exigua to indole and linalool, but not exposure to (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, increased the susceptibility to Spodoptera exigua multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SeMNPV). We also found that exposure to indole, but not exposure to linalool or (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, increased the pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis. Additional experiments revealed significant changes in microbiota composition after forty-eight hours of larval exposure to indole. Overall, these results provide evidence that certain HIPVs can strongly enhance the susceptibility of caterpillars to pathogens, possibly through effects on the insect gut microbiota. These findings suggest a novel mechanism by which HIPVs can protect plants from herbivorous insects.
(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): Ted C.J. Turlings, Salvador Herrero
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
resistance/tolerance/defence of host
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
general biology - morphology - evolution
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spodoptera exigua | ||||
| Alphabaculovirus spexiguae (entomopathogen) | Spodoptera exigua |
