Pest Management Science (2020) 76, 1004-1010

Jin-Yan Wang, Hao Zhang, Evan Siemann, Xiang-Yun Ji, Yi-Juan Chen, Yi Wang, Jie-Xian Jiang and Nian-Feng Wan (2020)
Immunity of an insect herbivore to an entomovirus is affected by different host plants
Pest Management Science 76 (3), 1004-1010
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Interactions between herbivorous insects and entomoviruses may depend on host plant, perhaps mediated through changes in herbivore innate immunity.
RESULTS
Caterpillars (Spodoptera exigua) fed Glycine max had high viral loads and low melanization rates together with low melanization enzyme [PO, DDC, TH] activities and gene expressions. Caterpillars fed Ipomoea aquatica had low viral loads and high melanization, gene activities and gene expressions while those fed Brassica oleracea or artificial diet had intermediate levels of each. Melanization rates were negatively correlated with viral loads and positively correlated with activity and expression of each of the three enzymes. Some diet effects on enzymes were constitutive because the same diets led to low (G. max) or high (I. aquatica) melanization related gene activities and expressions without infection.
CONCLUSION
Diet influences the interactions between insect herbivores and viruses by shaping the innate immune response both at the onset of infection and afterwards as viral loads accumulate over a period of days. In addition, diets that lead to low viral loads are associated with high activities and gene expressions of a variety of melanization related enzymes suggesting a common causative mechanism.
(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): Evan Siemann

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Spodoptera exigua	Soybean (Glycine max)