FEMS Microbiology Ecology (2022) 98 (4 - fiac035)

Flávia P. Franco, Amanda C. Túler, Diego Z. Gallan, Felipe G. Gonçalves, Arodí P. Favaris, Maria Fernanda G.V. Peñaflor, Walter S. Leal, Daniel S. Moura, José Maurício S. Bento and Marcio C. Silva-Filho (2022)
Colletotrichum falcatum modulates the olfactory behavior of the sugarcane borer, favoring pathogen infection
FEMS Microbiology Ecology 98 (4 - fiac035)
Abstract: Some pathogens can manipulate their host plants and insects to optimize their fitness, increasing the attraction of insects to the infected plant in ways that facilitate pathogen acquisition. In tropical American sugarcane crops, the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum, the red rot causal agent, usually occurs in association with the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis, resulting in large losses of this crop. Considering this association, we aimed to identify the effects of C. falcatum on D. saccharalis host preference and performance as well as the effect of this insect on C. falcatum sugarcane infection. Here, we show that the fungus C. falcatum modulates D. saccharalis behavior to its own benefit. More specifically, C. falcatum-infected sugarcane plants showed a dramatic increase in VOCs, luring D. saccharalis females to lay eggs on these plants. Therefore, sugarcane infection by the fungus C. falcatum increased in cooccurrence with insect herbivory, benefiting the pathogen when associated with D. saccharalis.
(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): Maria Fernanda Gomes Villalba Penaflor, Walter Soares Leal, Marcio C. Silva-Filho

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.
	Diatraea saccharalis	Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)
	Colletotrichum falcatum	Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum)