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Ngah N, Thomas RL, Fellowes MDE. Does This Look Infected? Hidden Host Plant Infection by the Pathogen Botrytis cinerea Alters Interactions between Plants, Aphids and Their Natural Enemies in the Field. INSECTS 2024; 15:347. [PMID: 38786903 PMCID: PMC11121772 DOI: 10.3390/insects15050347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Few studies have considered whether hidden (asymptomatic) plant pathogen infection alters ecological interactions at the higher trophic levels, even though such infection still affects plant physiology. We explored this question in two field experiments, where two varieties of lettuce (Little Gem, Tom Thumb) infected with Botrytis cinerea were either (1) naturally colonised by aphids or (2) placed in the field with an established aphid colony. We then recorded plant traits and the numbers and species of aphids, their predators, parasitoids and hyperparasitoids. Infection significantly affected plant quality. In the first experiment, symptomatically infected plants had the fewest aphids and natural enemies of aphids. The diversity and abundance of aphids did not differ between asymptomatically infected and uninfected Little Gem plants, but infection affected the aphid assemblage for Tom Thumb plants. Aphids on asymptomatically infected plants were less attractive to predators and parasitoids than those on uninfected plants, while hyperparasitoids were not affected. In the second experiment, when we excluded natural enemies, aphid numbers were lower on asymptomatically and symptomatically infected plants, but when aphid natural enemies were present, this difference was removed, most likely because aphids on uninfected plants attracted more insect natural enemies. This suggests that hidden pathogen infection may have important consequences for multitrophic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norhayati Ngah
- East Coast Environmental Research Institute, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Gong Badak Campus, Kuala Nerus 21300, Terengganu, Malaysia
- Faculty of Bioresources and Food Industry, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Besut Campus, Besut 22200, Terengganu, Malaysia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AS, UK
| | - Rebecca L Thomas
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AS, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Mark D E Fellowes
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AS, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
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Cascant-Vilaplana MM, Viteritti E, Sadras V, Medina S, Sánchez-Iglesias MP, Oger C, Galano JM, Durand T, Gabaldón JA, Taylor J, Ferreres F, Sergi M, Gil-Izquierdo A. Wheat Oxylipins in Response to Aphids, CO 2 and Nitrogen Regimes. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28104133. [PMID: 37241874 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28104133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Wheat is critical for food security, and is challenged by biotic stresses, chiefly aphids and the viruses they transmit. The objective of this study was to determine whether aphids feeding on wheat could trigger a defensive plant reaction to oxidative stress that involved plant oxylipins. Plants were grown in chambers with a factorial combination of two nitrogen rates (100% N vs. 20% N in Hoagland solution), and two concentrations of CO2 (400 vs. 700 ppm). The seedlings were challenged with Rhopalosiphum padi or Sitobion avenae for 8 h. Wheat leaves produced phytoprostanes (PhytoPs) of the F1 series, and three types of phytofurans (PhytoFs): ent-16(RS)-13-epi-ST-Δ14-9-PhytoF, ent-16(RS)-9-epi-ST-Δ14-10-PhytoF and ent-9(RS)-12-epi-ST-Δ10-13-PhytoF. The oxylipin levels varied with aphids, but not with other experimental sources of variation. Both Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae reduced the concentrations of ent-16(RS)-13-epi-ST-Δ14-9-PhytoF and ent-16(RS)-9-epi-ST-Δ14-10-PhytoF in relation to controls, but had little or no effect on PhytoPs. Our results are consistent with aphids affecting the levels of PUFAs (oxylipin precursors), which decreased the levels of PhytoFs in wheat leaves. Therefore, PhytoFs could be postulated as an early indicator of aphid hosting for this plant species. This is the first report on the quantification of non-enzymatic PhytoFs and PhytoPs in wheat leaves in response to aphids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Merce Cascant-Vilaplana
- Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Department of Food Science and Technology, CEBAS-CSIC, University Campus of Espinardo, Edif. 25, 30100 Murcia, Spain
- Neonatal Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe, 46026 Valencia, Spain
| | - Eduardo Viteritti
- Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Department of Food Science and Technology, CEBAS-CSIC, University Campus of Espinardo, Edif. 25, 30100 Murcia, Spain
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Víctor Sadras
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, Adelaide, SA 5064, Australia
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Sonia Medina
- Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Department of Food Science and Technology, CEBAS-CSIC, University Campus of Espinardo, Edif. 25, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - María Puerto Sánchez-Iglesias
- Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Department of Food Science and Technology, CEBAS-CSIC, University Campus of Espinardo, Edif. 25, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Camille Oger
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM), Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche, UMR 5247, CNRS, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Marie Galano
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM), Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche, UMR 5247, CNRS, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Durand
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM), Pôle Chimie Balard Recherche, UMR 5247, CNRS, University of Montpellier, ENSCM, 34090 Montpellier, France
| | - José Antonio Gabaldón
- Molecular Recognition and Encapsulation Research Group (REM), Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM), Campus de los Jerónimos 135, 30107 Guadalupe, Spain
| | - Julian Taylor
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Federico Ferreres
- Molecular Recognition and Encapsulation Research Group (REM), Health Sciences Department, Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM), Campus de los Jerónimos 135, 30107 Guadalupe, Spain
| | - Manuel Sergi
- Faculty of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy
| | - Angel Gil-Izquierdo
- Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Department of Food Science and Technology, CEBAS-CSIC, University Campus of Espinardo, Edif. 25, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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Kou X, Bai S, Luo Y, Yu J, Guo H, Wang C, Zhang H, Chen C, Liu X, Ji W. Construction of a Modified Clip Cage and Its Effects on the Life-History Parameters of Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) and Defense Responses of Triticum aestivum. INSECTS 2022; 13:777. [PMID: 36135478 PMCID: PMC9503654 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Clip cages are commonly used to confine aphids or other small insects to a single leaf when conducting plant-small insect interaction studies; however, clip cages are usually heavy or do not efficiently transmit light, which has an impact on leaf physiology, limiting their application. Here, simple, lightweight, and transparent modified clip cages were constructed using punched clear plastic cups, cut transparent polyvinyl chloride sheets, nylon organdy mesh, and bent duck-bill clips. These cages can be clipped directly onto dicot leaves or attached to monocot leaves with bamboo skewers and elastic bands. The weight, production time, and aphid escape rates of the modified clip cages were 3.895 ± 0.004 g, less than 3 min, and 2.154 ± 0.323%, respectively. The effects of the modified clip cage on the growth, development, and reproduction of the English grain aphid (Sitobion avenae Fabricius) in comparison with the whole cage were studied. The biochemical responses of wheat (Triticum aestivum) to the cages were also investigated. No significant differences were observed in the life table parameters, nymph mortality, and adult fecundity in S. avenae confined to clip cages and whole cages, but the clip cages were more time efficient than whole cages when conducting life table studies. Moreover, the hydrogen peroxide accumulation, callose deposition, and cell necrosis in wheat leaves covered by empty clip cages and empty whole cages were similar, and significantly lower than treatments where the aphids were inside the clip cage. The results demonstrate that the modified clip cages had negligible effects on the plant and aphid physiology, suggesting that they are effective for studying plant-small insect interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudan Kou
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Shichao Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Yufeng Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jiuyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Huan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Shaanxi Research Station of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Chunhuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Shaanxi Research Station of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Xinlun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Shaanxi Research Station of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Wanquan Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
- Shaanxi Research Station of Crop Gene Resources and Germplasm Enhancement, Ministry of Agriculture, Yangling 712100, China
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Abstract
Technologies, from molecular genetics to precision agriculture, are outpacing theory, which is becoming a bottleneck for crop improvement. Here, we outline theoretical insights on the wheat phenotype from the perspective of three evolutionary and ecologically important relations-mother-offspring, plant-insect and plant-plant. The correlation between yield and grain number has been misinterpreted as cause-and-effect; an evolutionary perspective shows a striking similarity between crop and fishes. Both respond to environmental variation through offspring number; seed and egg size are conserved. The offspring of annual plants and semelparous fishes, lacking parental care, are subject to mother-offspring conflict and stabilizing selection. Labile reserve carbohydrates do not fit the current model of wheat yield; they can stabilize grain size, but involve trade-offs with root growth and grain number, and are at best neutral for yield. Shifting the focus from the carbon balance to an ecological role, we suggest that labile carbohydrates may disrupt aphid osmoregulation, and thus contribute to wheat agronomic adaptation. The tight association between high yield and low competitive ability justifies the view of crop yield as a population attribute whereby the behaviour of the plant becomes subordinated within that of the population, with implications for genotyping, phenotyping and plant breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor O Sadras
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, and School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Australia
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Cossani CM, Sadras VO. Symmetric response to competition in binary mixtures of cultivars associates with genetic gain in wheat yield. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2064-2078. [PMID: 34429749 PMCID: PMC8372091 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution in the definition of crop yield-from the ratio of seed harvested to seed sown to the contemporary measure of mass of seed per unit land area-has favoured less competitive phenotypes. Here we use binary mixtures of cultivars spanning five decades of selection for yield and agronomic adaptation to ask three questions. First, what is the degree of symmetry in the response of yield to neighbour; this is, if an older, more competitive cultivar increases yield by 10% with a less competitive neighbour in comparison to pure stands, would the newer, less competitive cultivar reduce yield by 10% when grown with older neighbour. Lack of symmetry would indicate factors other than competitive ability underly yield improvement. Second, what are the yield components underlying competitive interactions. Third, to what extent are the responses to neighbour mediated by radiation, water and nitrogen. A focus on yield components and resources can help the interpretation of shifts in the crop phenotype in response to selection for yield. The rate of genetic gain in yield over five decades was 24 kg ha-1 year-1 or 0.61% year-1. A strongly symmetrical yield response to neighbour indicates that yield improvement closely associates with a reduction in competitive ability. Response to neighbour was larger for grain number and biomass than for grain weight and allocation of biomass to grain. Under our experimental conditions, competition for radiation was dominant compared to competition of water and nitrogen. High-yielding phenotypes had lower competitive ability for radiation but compensated with higher radiation use efficiency, a measure of canopy photosynthetic efficiency. Genetic and agronomic manipulation of the crop phenotype to reduce competitive ability could further improve wheat yield to meet the challenge of global food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Mariano Cossani
- South Australian Research Institute, and School of Agriculture, Food and WineThe University of AdelaideUrrbraeSAAustralia
| | - Victor O. Sadras
- South Australian Research Institute, and School of Agriculture, Food and WineThe University of AdelaideUrrbraeSAAustralia
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