Preference for outbred host plants and positive effects of inbreeding on egg survival in a specialist herbivore

Abstract

Inbreeding can profoundly affect the interactions of plants with herbivores as well as with the natural enemies of the herbivores. We studied how plant inbreeding affects herbivore oviposition preference, and whether inbreeding of both plants and herbivores alters the probability of predation or parasitism of herbivore eggs. In a laboratory preference test with the specialist herbivore moth Abrostola asclepiadis and inbred and outbred Vincetoxicum hirundinaria plants, we discovered that herbivores preferred to oviposit on outbred plants. A field experiment with inbred and outbred plants that bore inbred or outbred herbivore eggs revealed that the eggs of the outbred herbivores were more likely to be lost by predation, parasitism or plant hypersensitive responses than inbred eggs. This difference did not lead to differences in the realized fecundity as the number of hatched larvae did not differ between inbred and outbred herbivores. Thus, the strength of inbreeding depression in herbivores decreases when their natural enemies are involved. Plant inbreeding did not alter the attraction of natural enemies of the eggs. We conclude that inbreeding can significantly alter the interactions of plants and herbivores at different life-history stages, and that some of these alterations are mediated by the natural enemies of the herbivores.

Keywords

Abrostola asclepiadis; experimental inbreeding; insect herbivory; natural enemies; oviposition; Vincetoxicum hirundinaria

Published in

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
2014, volume: 281, number: 1796, article number: 20141421
Publisher: ROYAL SOC

SLU Authors

• Muola, Anne

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    
  • University of Turku

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network

UKÄ Subject classification

Evolutionary Biology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1421

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/63755