| Title: | Underground signals carried through common mycelial networks warn neighbouring plants of aphid attack |
| Author(s): | Babikova Z; Gilbert L; Bruce TJ; Birkett M; Caulfield JC; Woodcock C; Pickett JA; Johnson D; |
| Address: | "Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1461-0248 (Electronic) 1461-023X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "The roots of most land plants are colonised by mycorrhizal fungi that provide mineral nutrients in exchange for carbon. Here, we show that mycorrhizal mycelia can also act as a conduit for signalling between plants, acting as an early warning system for herbivore attack. Insect herbivory causes systemic changes in the production of plant volatiles, particularly methyl salicylate, making bean plants, Vicia faba, repellent to aphids but attractive to aphid enemies such as parasitoids. We demonstrate that these effects can also occur in aphid-free plants but only when they are connected to aphid-infested plants via a common mycorrhizal mycelial network. This underground messaging system allows neighbouring plants to invoke herbivore defences before attack. Our findings demonstrate that common mycorrhizal mycelial networks can determine the outcome of multitrophic interactions by communicating information on herbivore attack between plants, thereby influencing the behaviour of both herbivores and their natural enemies" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Aphids/*physiology Behavior, Animal Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Mycelium/*physiology *Signal Transduction Vicia faba/*parasitology Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineBabikova, Zdenka Gilbert, Lucy Bruce, Toby J A Birkett, Michael Caulfield, John C Woodcock, Christine Pickett, John A Johnson, David eng BB/H001700/1/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2013/05/10 Ecol Lett. 2013 Jul; 16(7):835-43. doi: 10.1111/ele.12115. Epub 2013 May 9" |
