IBIS-Flora

Angiosperm Flora of India

Function of defensive volatiles in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) is tricked by the moth Tortrix viridana

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2012
Authors:GHIRARDO, ANDREA, HELLER, WERNER, Fladung, M, Schnitzler, J-P, SCHROEDER, HILKE
Journal:Plant, Cell & Environment
Volume:35
Issue:12
Date Published:2012
ISBN Number:1365-3040
Keywords:herbivore-induced plant volatiles, PTR-MS, Quercus, terpenes, volatile organic compounds, Y-tube-olfactometer
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)-β-ocimene and avoid T-oaks with relative high fraction of the sesquiterpenes α-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.

URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.2012.02545.x
Short Title:Plant, Cell & Environment
Taxonomic name: 
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