Title: | Function of defensive volatiles in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) is tricked by the moth Tortrix viridana |
Author(s): | Ghirardo A; Heller W; Fladung M; Schnitzler JP; Schroeder H; |
Address: | "Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany" |
DOI: | 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2012.02545.x |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1365-3040 (Electronic) 0140-7791 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The indirect defences of plants are comprised of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that among other things attract the natural enemies of insects. However, the actual extent of the benefits of HIPV emissions in complex co-evolved plant-herbivore systems is only poorly understood. The observation that a few Quercus robur L. trees constantly tolerated (T-oaks) infestation by a major pest of oaks (Tortrix viridana L.), compared with heavily defoliated trees (susceptible: S-oaks), lead us to a combined biochemical and behavioural study. We used these evidently different phenotypes to analyse whether the resistance of T-oaks to the herbivore was dependent on the amount and scent of HIPVs and/or differences in non-volatile polyphenolic leaf constituents (as quercetin-, kaempferol- and flavonol glycosides). In addition to non-volatile metabolic differences, typically defensive HIPV emissions differed between S-oaks and T-oaks. Female moths were attracted by the blend of HIPVs from S-oaks, showing significantly higher amounts of (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) and (E)-beta-ocimene and avoid T-oaks with relative high fraction of the sesquiterpenes alpha-farnesene and germacrene D. Hence, the strategy of T-oaks exhibiting directly herbivore-repellent HIPV emissions instead of high emissions of predator-attracting HIPVs of the S-oaks appears to be the better mechanism for avoiding defoliation" |
Keywords: | "Animals Chromatography, Gas Feeding Behavior Female Mass Spectrometry Moths/*physiology Quercus/parasitology/*physiology Volatile Organic Compounds/*metabolism;" |
Notes: | "MedlineGhirardo, Andrea Heller, Werner Fladung, Matthias Schnitzler, Jorg-Peter Schroeder, Hilke eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2012/05/29 Plant Cell Environ. 2012 Dec; 35(12):2192-207. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3040.2012.02545.x. Epub 2012 Jun 20" |