Aboveground herbivory induced jasmonates disproportionately reduce plant reproductive potential by facilitating root nematode infestation |
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Authors: | Ricardo AR Machado Carla CM Arce Michael A McClure Ian T Baldwin Matthias Erb |
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Institution: | 1. Root‐Herbivore Interactions Group, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany;2. Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany;3. Institute of Plant Sciences, Biotic Interaction Section, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland;4. Functional and Applied Research in Chemical Ecology, University of Neuchatel, Neuchatel, Switzerland;5. School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA |
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Abstract: | Different plant feeders, including insects and parasitic nematodes, can influence each other by triggering systemic changes in their shared host plants. In most cases, however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear, and the consequences for plant fitness are not well understood. We studied the interaction between leaf feeding Manduca sexta caterpillars and root parasitic nematodes in Nicotiana attenuata. Simulated M. sexta attack increased the abundance of root parasitic nematodes in the field and facilitated Meloidogyne incognita reproduction in the glasshouse. Intact jasmonate biosynthesis was found to be required for both effects. Flower counts revealed that the jasmonate‐dependent facilitation of nematode infestation following simulated leaf attack reduces the plant's reproductive potential to a greater degree than would be expected from the additive effects of the individual stresses. This work reveals that jasmonates mediate the interaction between a leaf herbivore and root parasitic nematodes and illustrates how plant‐mediated interactions can alter plant's reproductive potential. The selection pressure resulting from the demonstrated fitness effects is likely to influence the evolution of plant defense traits in nature. |
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Keywords: | Ditylenchus sp Manduca sexta Nicotiana attenuata Pratylenchus hexincisus jasmonates nicotine plant fitness plant resistance root parasitic nematodes |
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