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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2014

Volatile interaction between undamaged plants affects tritrophic interactions through changed plant volatile emission

Vucetic, Andja; Dahlin, Iris; Petrović-Obradović, Olivera; Glinwood, Robert; Webster, Ben; Ninkovic, Velemir

Abstract

Volatile interactions between unattacked plants can lead to changes in their volatile emissions. Exposure of potato plants to onion plant volatiles results in increased emission of 2 terpenoids, (E)-nerolidol and TMTT. We investigated whether this is detectable by the ladybird Coccinella septempunctata. The odor of onion-exposed potato was significantly more attractive to ladybirds than that of unexposed potato. Further, a synthetic blend mimicking the volatile profile of onion-exposed potato was more attractive than a blend mimicking that of unexposed potato. When presented individually, TMTT was attractive to ladybirds whereas (E)-nerolidol was repellent. Volatile exchange between unattacked plants and the consequent increased attractiveness for ladybirds may be a mechanism that contributes to the increased abundance of natural enemies in complex plant habitats.

Keywords

plant–plant communication; aphids; potato; onion; volatiles; (E)-nerolidol; TMTT; ladybird; Coccinella septempunctata; natural enemies

Published in

Plant Signaling and Behavior
2014, volume: 9, number: 8, article number: e29517

Authors' information

Vucetic, Andja
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Crop Production Ecology
Vucetic, Andja
University of Belgrade
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology
Petrović-Obradović, Olivera
University of Belgrade
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Crop Production Ecology
Webster, Ben
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Crop Production Ecology

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology
Zoology
Botany

Publication Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4161/psb.29517

URI (permanent link to this page)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/66064