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Nitrogen‐mediated volatilisation of defensive metabolites in tomato confers resistance to herbivores.
- Source :
- Plant, Cell & Environment; Aug2024, Vol. 47 Issue 8, p3227-3240, 14p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Plants synthesise a vast array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which serve as chemical defence and communication agents in their interactions with insect herbivores. Although nitrogen (N) is a critical resource in the production of plant metabolites, its regulatory effects on defensive VOCs remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of N content in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) on the tobacco cutworm (Spodoptera litura), a notorious agricultural pest, using biochemical and molecular experiments in combination with insect behavioural and performance analyses. We observed that on tomato leaves with different N contents, S. litura showed distinct feeding preference and growth and developmental performance. Particularly, metabolomics profiling revealed that limited N availability conferred resistance upon tomato plants to S. litura is likely associated with the biosynthesis and emission of the volatile metabolite α‐humulene as a repellent. Moreover, exogenous application of α‐humulene on tomato leaves elicited a significant repellent response against herbivores. Thus, our findings unravel the key factors involved in N‐mediated plant defence against insect herbivores and pave the way for innovation of N management to improve the plant defence responses to facilitate pest control strategies within agroecosystems. Summary statement: Our study illustrates that nitrogen levels in tomato plants mediate the production and volatilisation of defensive secondary metabolites, specifically α‐humulene, which confer direct and indirect plant resistance to Spodoptera litura. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01407791
- Volume :
- 47
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Plant, Cell & Environment
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 178396335
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.14945