Members only: induced systemic resistance to herbivory in a clonal plant network

The stoloniferous herb Trifolium repens was used to study the expression of induced systemic resistance (ISR) to the generalist caterpillar Spodoptera exigua in interconnected ramets of clonal fragments. The ISR was assessed as caterpillar preference in dual choice tests between control and systemically induced plants. The ISR was detected in young ramets, after inducing older sibling ramets on the same stolon by a controlled herbivore attack. However, older ramets did not receive a defense induction signal from younger ramets unless the predominant phloem flow was reversed by means of basal shading. This provides evidence for the notion that in T. repens the clone-internal expression of ISR is coupled to phloem transport and follows source–sink gradients. The inducibility of the genotypes was not linked to their constitutive ability to produce cyanide, implying the absence of a trade-off between these two defense traits. To our knowledge, this is the first study that explores ISR to herbivory in the context of physiological integration in potentially extensive clonal plant networks.     

Identification of Volicitin-related Compounds from the Regurgitant of Lepidopteran Caterpillars

Volicitin-related compounds were found in the oral secretion of the three noctuid species, Helicoverpa armigera, Mythimna separata and Spodoptera litura, and one sphingid species, Agrius convolvuli. Volicitin [N-(17-hydroxylinolenoyl)-L-glutamine], N-(17-hydroxy-linoleoyl)-glutamine, N-linolenoylglutamine and N-linoleoylglutamine were identified in the secretion from the noctuid larvae. In secretions from the sphingid larvae, N-linolenoylglutamine and N-linoleoylglutamine were the main components. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the amounts of the N-acylamino acid conjugates in the secretions from the three noctuid species. These results suggest that the proportion of volicitin-related compounds in the regurgitant was species-specific.     

Cyanide as a feeding stimulant for the southern army worm, Spodoptera eridania

ABSTRACT.

• 1 All instars of Spodoptera eridania larvae grow as well or better when cyanide is present in their diet as when it is absent. Concentrations up to 0.05% stimulate feeding in first to fourth instar larvae. Concentrations from 0.1% to 1.0% stimulate feeding in fifth and sixth instar larvae.
• 2 Three-day-old sixth instar larvae pre-exposed to cyanide are completely resistant to its acutely toxic effects, but previously unexposed larvae suffer reversible symptoms of poisoning when feeding on a diet containing 1.0% KCN.
• 3 A 1.0% dietary KCN exposure during the sixth instar reduces ecdysis to 17% adult emergence and completely inhibits oviposition.
• 4 Cyanide concentrations from 0.5% to 1.0% in the diet, although effecting increased growth rates, induce necrotic lesions in larval mid-gut epithelial cells.
• 5 Thiocyanate, one of the in vivo cyanide metabolites, at 0.5% in the diet reduces pupation to 23%, delays and reduces adult emergence to 20% and inhibits oviposition.
• 6 The preferred host plant of S.eridania is the lima bean, Phaseolus lunatus, probably due to its content of the cyanogenic glycoside linamarin. Dietary valine has no effect on the southern armyworm feeding and growth behaviour (Long & Brattsten, 1982) but dietary cyanide does. The lima bean is known to contain up to 31 ppm cyanide in some varieties.

     

Effects of plant chemical extracts and physical characteristics of Apium graveolens and Chenopodium murale on host choice by Spodoptera exigua larvae

Choice tests with whole plants and leaf discs indicated that fourth instar Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Noctuidae: Amphypyrini) were found more frequently and ate significantly more of the weed Chenopodium murale than the associated crop plant Apium graveolens. In order to explain the preference, plant extracts, plant volatiles, soluble protein concentrations, water contents, and leaf toughness of the two plants were investigated. Bioassays of aqueous methanol (90%) and hexane extracts of leaves on cellulose discs indicated that neither attractants in C. murale nor repellents in A. graveolens could account for the observed preference. No significant difference could be found between the effects of plant volatiles from C. murale, A. graveolens and a control on larval dispersal by S. exigua. Selective feeding for higher levels of proteins also was not a factor, because A. graveolens had nearly twice the soluble protein of C. murale. Water content was approximately 6% higher (by weight) in C. murale than A. graveolens but most polyphagous larvae do not typically show compensatory feeding for water alone. However, the potentially related characteristic of leaf toughness was significantly different, with A. graveolens exhibiting 1.53 times the toughness of C. murale. Studies comparing five types of larval behavior on both plant species showed that the time spent in swallowing behavior was significantly greater on the tougher A. graveolens leaves relative to C. murale. To test the hypothesis that leaf toughness was affecting larval host choice, both plants were finely ground and incorporated into agar blocks. No differences in feeding behavior were detected. The implications of leaf toughness for larval diet and host choice are discussed.     

Does immunization of cucumber against anthracnose by Colletotrichum lagenarium affect host suitability for arthropods?

Restricted infection of a lower leaf of cucumber,Cucumis sativus L., with the anthracnose fungusColletotrichum lagenarium has been previously shown by others to induce persistent, systemic resistance to the same fungus and to at least 12 other diverse plant pathogens. The non-specificity of pathogen-induced resistance has fueled speculation that it might also affect arthropod herbivores. However, we found that immunization of cucumber withC. lagenarium had no effect on population growth of twospotted spider mites,Tetranychus urticae Koch, reared on foliage for which induced resistance to the same pathogen was confirmed. Similarly, immunization withC. lagenarium had no systemic effect on weight gain, duration of development, or pupal weight of fall armyworms, or on progeny production by melon aphids. In reciprocal tests, previous feeding injury from spider mites or fall armyworms did not induce systemic resistance toC. lagenarium. These results indicate that, at least for cucumber, pathogen-activated induced resistance is specific to plant pathogens, suggesting separate mechanisms of induced resistance to pathogens or herbivores.

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Résumé Dans une étude de résistance induite, l'infection basale des feuilles du concombre,Cucumis sativus L., avecColletotrichum lagenarium, le champignon de l'anthracnose, a généré une induction systémique et persistante, non seulement au même champignon, mais aussi et surtout à l'égard de douze autres. La nature non-spécifique de cette résistance a dès lors engendré une hypothèse, celle de savoir si cette non-spécificité pourrait s'entendre au niveau d'arthropodes phytophages. Cependant, nos travaux ont démontré que l'immunité vis-à-vis deC. lagenarium n'affecte ni la population de tétraniques,Tetranychus urticae Koch, élevée sur des feuilles résistantes de concombre; ni le gain pondéral, ni la durée de développement, ni le poids nymphal deSpodoptera frugiperda, ou la fertilité des aphides de melon. De ces résultats, il peut-être déduit que, au moins chez le concombre, l'induction de résistance due àC. lagenarium démeure spécifique aux champignons saprophytes, c'est à dire qu'il existe des mécanismes séparés pour la résistance, soit aux champignons, soit aux arthropodes phytophages.

     

重组人GM—CSF基因在昆虫细胞中的表达

利用苜蓿夜蛾核型多角体病毒（ＡｃＮＰＶ）带β－Ｇａｌａｃｔｏｓｉｄａｓｅ基因标记的非融合蛋白基因转移载体ｐＢｌｕｅＢａｃ将人粒细胞巨噬细胞集落刺激因子（ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ）基因成功地插入病毒ＡｃＮＰＶ的基因组中．ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ基因在感染重组病毒的草地夜蛾（Ｓｐｏｄｏｐｔｅｒａｆｒｕｇｉｐｅｒｄａ）培养细胞Ｓｆ９中得到表达,感染后的Ｓｆ９细胞培养液能刺激人骨髓细胞在体外形成典型的集落,表达水平可达２．７×１０５５ＣＦＵ／ｍｌ。以ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ单抗所作的ＷｅｓｔｅｒｎＢｌｏｔｔｉｎｇ表明,表达的ｈＧＭ－ＣＳＦ对是３种糖基化程度不同的产物,分子量分别约为１５ｋｄ,１８ｋｄ和２０ｋｄ。     

Comparative pathogenesis of the Helicoverpa armigera single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus in noctuid hosts of different susceptibility

Neonate larvae of the noctuid moth Spodoptera exigua were susceptible to an infection by Helicoverpa armigera single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (HaSNPV). Biological activity (LD(50),ST(50)) of the virus was considerably reduced as compared to its activity in the homologous host, H. armigera. Pathogenesis was studied using a recombinant HaSNPV carrying a green fluorescent protein gene, which induces fluorescence in infected cells to mark infection. In larvae of H. armigera, fluorescence was pronounced in the fat body after 2.9 days post infection and could also be detected in several other tissues. In contrast, fluorescence was not observed in tissues of S. exigua until 9 days post infection and was restricted almost exclusively to cells of the ganglia. Examination of serial sections of wildtype HaSNPV-infected S. exigua-larvae revealed a similar pattern of tissue tropism. Apparently, HaSNPV does not undergo the usual steps in host invasion and infection in this insect species, but targets specifically to nervous tissue.     

斜纹夜蛾种群控制的研究概况

斜纹夜蛾Spodoptera litura(Fabricius)是重要的农业害虫之一。为了控制斜纹夜蛾,使农作物免受危害,前人研究了化学防治、杀虫灯和性诱捕器诱杀、植物诱集和驱避、转基因抗虫品种以及生物防治对其种群控制作用。化学防治在压制斜纹夜蛾种群暴发、减轻农作物遭受损失方面作出了巨大贡献,但日益增强的抗药性、农药残留造成的环境污染、对天敌的杀伤和人畜安全的影响等问题不断受到关注,人们开始对该害虫的一些新的治理策略进行了探讨。在这些无公害的控制技术中,植物诱集和生物防治是2种值得提倡的有效措施。不少植物源提取物和昆虫生长调节剂对斜纹夜蛾幼虫具有极好的效果,是值得研发的2种新型生物制剂。香芋和蓖麻等诱集作物对斜纹夜蛾有较好的诱集效果,如果能将作物诱集和释放天敌昆虫或病原微生物制剂结合,使之成为一套有效的生态控制体系,将可现实斜纹夜蛾种群的持续控制。