1. Stimulation of the Salicylic Acid Pathway Aboveground Recruits Entomopathogenic Nematodes Belowground
- Author
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Lukasz L. Stelinski, Donald W. Dickson, Larry W. Duncan, Denis S. Willett, Camila C. Filgueiras, Alcides Moino Junior, Fahiem El Borai, and Martín Pareja
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Citrus ,lcsh:Medicine ,Plant Science ,01 natural sciences ,Plant Roots ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Rhabditida ,Plant defense against herbivory ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Nematode Infections ,lcsh:Science ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,food and beverages ,Agriculture ,Plants ,Salicylates ,Elicitor ,Trophic Interactions ,Chemistry ,Community Ecology ,Plant Physiology ,Physical Sciences ,Insect Pests ,Biological Assay ,Salicylic Acid ,Research Article ,Food Chain ,Crops ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Fruits ,Pests ,Plant-Animal Interactions ,Botany ,Parasitic Diseases ,Animals ,Plant Defenses ,Herbivory ,Herbivore ,Volatile Organic Compounds ,Plant Ecology ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,fungi ,lcsh:R ,Chemical Compounds ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Plant-Herbivore Interactions ,Entomopathogenic nematode ,Olfactometer ,chemistry ,Weevils ,lcsh:Q ,PEST analysis ,Acids ,Methyl salicylate ,Salicylic acid ,010606 plant biology & botany ,Crop Science - Abstract
Plant defense pathways play a critical role in mediating tritrophic interactions between plants, herbivores, and natural enemies. While the impact of plant defense pathway stimulation on natural enemies has been extensively explored aboveground, belowground ramifications of plant defense pathway stimulation are equally important in regulating subterranean pests and still require more attention. Here we investigate the effect of aboveground stimulation of the salicylic acid pathway through foliar application of the elicitor methyl salicylate on belowground recruitment of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema diaprepesi. Also, we implicate a specific root-derived volatile that attracts S. diaprepesi belowground following aboveground plant stimulation by an elicitor. In four-choice olfactometer assays, citrus plants treated with foliar applications of methyl salicylate recruited S. diaprepesi in the absence of weevil feeding as compared with negative controls. Additionally, analysis of root volatile profiles of citrus plants receiving foliar application of methyl salicylate revealed production of d-limonene, which was absent in negative controls. The entomopathogenic nematode S. diaprepesi was recruited to d-limonene in two-choice olfactometer trials. These results reinforce the critical role of plant defense pathways in mediating tritrophic interactions, suggest a broad role for plant defense pathway signaling belowground, and hint at sophisticated plant responses to pest complexes.
- Published
- 2016