Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2012
Herbivory by a Phloem-Feeding Insect Inhibits Floral Volatile Production
Pareja, Martin; Qvarfordt, Erika; Webster, Ben; Mayon, Patrick; Pickett, John; Birkett, Michael; Glinwood, RobertAbstract
There is extensive knowledge on the effects of insect herbivory on volatile emission from vegetative tissue, but little is known about its impact on floral volatiles. We show that herbivory by phloem-feeding aphids inhibits floral volatile emission in white mustard Sinapis alba measured by gas chromatographic analysis of headspace volatiles. The effect of the Brassica specialist aphid Lipaphis erysimi was stronger than the generalist aphid Myzus persicae and feeding by chewing larvae of the moth Plutella xylostella caused no reduction in floral volatile emission. Field observations showed no effect of L. erysimi-mediated floral volatile emission on the total number of flower visits by pollinators. Olfactory bioassays suggested that although two aphid natural enemies could detect aphid inhibition of floral volatiles, their olfactory orientation to infested plants was not disrupted. This is the first demonstration that phloem-feeding herbivory can affect floral volatile emission, and that the outcome of interaction between herbivory and floral chemistry may differ depending on the herbivore's feeding mode and degree of specialisation. The findings provide new insights into interactions between insect herbivores and plant chemistry.Keywords
aphid; flower; volatilePublished in
PLoS ONE2012, volume: 7, number: 2, article number: e31971
Publisher: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
Authors' information
Pareja, Martin
Federal University of Lavras
Qvarfordt, Erika
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology
Webster, Ben
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology
Mayon, Patrick
Rothamsted research
Pickett, John
Rothamsted research
Birkett, Michael
Rothamsted research
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology
UKÄ Subject classification
Agricultural Science
Botany
Ecology
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0031971
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/56603