| Title: | Effects of far-red light on tritrophic interactions between the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) and the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis on tomato |
| Author(s): | Meijer D; van der Vleut J; Weldegergis BT; Costaz T; Duarte MVA; Pekas A; Van Loon JJA; Dicke M; |
| Address: | "Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. Biobest Group N.V., R&D Department, Westerlo, Belgium" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1526-4998 (Electronic) 1526-498X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "BACKGROUND: The use of light-emitting diode (LED) lights in horticulture allows growers to adjust the light spectrum to optimize crop production and quality. However, changes in light quality can also influence plant-arthropod interactions, with possible consequences for pest management. The addition of far-red light has been shown to interfere with plant immunity, thereby increasing plant susceptibility to biotic stress and increasing pest performance. Far-red light also influences plant emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and might thus influence tritrophic interactions with biological control agents. We investigated how far-red light influences the VOC-mediated attraction of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis to tomato plants infested with Tetranychus urticae, and its ability to control T. urticae populations. RESULTS: Far-red light significantly influences herbivore-induced VOC emissions of tomato plants, characterized by a change in relative abundance of terpenoids, but this did not influence the attraction of P. persimilis to herbivore-induced plants. Supplemental far-red light led to an increased population growth of T. urticae and increased numbers of P. persimilis. This resulted in a stronger suppression of T. urticae populations under supplemental far-red light, to similar T. urticae numbers as in control conditions without supplemental far-red light. CONCLUSION: We conclude that supplemental far-red light can change herbivore-induced VOC emissions but does not interfere with the attraction of the predator P. persimilis. Moreover, far-red light stimulates biological control of spider mites in glasshouse tomatoes due to increased population build-up of the biocontrol agent. (c) 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry" |
| Keywords: | Animals *Solanum lycopersicum *Tetranychidae *Volatile Organic Compounds/pharmacology Plants Predatory Behavior biological control light emitting diodes light spectral composition population dynamics volatiles; |
| Notes: | "MedlineMeijer, Davy van der Vleut, Jaimie Weldegergis, Berhane T Costaz, Thibault Duarte, Marcus Vinicius Alfenas Pekas, Apostolos van Loon, Joop J A Dicke, Marcel eng Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek/ England 2023/01/15 Pest Manag Sci. 2023 May; 79(5):1820-1828. doi: 10.1002/ps.7358. Epub 2023 Jan 27" |
