Ecology Letters (2005) 8, 70-79

Belén Belliure, Arne Janssen, Paul C. Maris, Dick Peters and Maurice W. Sabelis (2005)
Herbivore arthropods benefit from vectoring plant viruses
Ecology Letters 8 (1), 70-79
Abstract: Plants infected with pathogens often attract the pathogens' vectors, but it is not clear if this is advantageous to the vectors. We therefore quantified the direct and indirect (through the host plant) effects of a pathogen on its vector. A positive direct effect of the plant-pathogenic Tomato spotted wilt virus on its thrips vector (Frankliniella occidentalis) was found, but the main effect was indirect; juvenile survival and developmental rate of thrips was lower on pepper plants that were damaged by virus-free thrips than on unattacked plants, but such negative effects were absent on plants that were damaged and inoculated by infected thrips or were mechanically inoculated with the virus. Hence, potential vectors benefit from attacking plants with virus because virus-infected plants are of higher quality for the vector's offspring. We propose that plant pathogens in general have evolved mechanisms to overcome plant defences against their vectors, thus promoting pathogen spread.
(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): Belén Belliure, Maurice W. Sabelis, Arne Janssen, Dick Peters

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
transmission/dispersal of plant diseases
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Frankliniella occidentalis	Green pepper/chilli (Capsicum)
	Orthotospovirus tomatomaculae	Green pepper/chilli (Capsicum)