Genetics of resistance against defences of the host plant Barbarea vulgaris in a Danish flea beetle population

One essential aspect of the study of the evolution of host-plant use by insects is (variation in) its genetic basis. The genetic basis of the ability of a flea beetle (Phyllotreta nemorum) to use the crucifer Barbarea vulgaris ssp. arcuata (G type) as a host plant was studied in a Danish population (Kvaerkeby) occurring naturally on this atypical host plant. Evidence was found that this ability was determined by a single, major, autosomal gene, although the presence of genes at additional loci at lower frequencies could not be excluded. No evidence was found for sex-linked inheritance, which was common in a second population in Denmark (Ejby) using Barbarea as a host plant. All beetles in the Kvaerkeby sample were homozygous 'resistant' to Barbarea defence. After crossing resistant F1 offspring from pairs consisting of a field-collected beetle and a susceptible one amongst each other, genotyping the F2 (reared on radish) showed a 1:2:1 ratio of homozygous resistant, heterozygous and susceptible beetles. No evidence was found for a reduction in the viability of beetles that were homozygous resistant at the autosomal locus, in contrast to what had been found earlier for two backcrossed lines founded by beetles from Ejby. The results show that there is variation in the genetic basis of host-plant use across local populations and imply that population structure should form part of the study of the interaction between P. nemorum and its host plants.