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Contrary effects of jasmonate treatment of two closely related plant species on attraction of and oviposition by a specialist herbivore
Author(s) -
Lu Yaobin,
Liu Shusheng,
Liu Yinquan,
Furlong Michael J.,
Zalucki Myron P.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2004.00582.x
Subject(s) - diamondback moth , plutella , herbivore , biology , brassica oleracea , jasmonic acid , brassica , attraction , insect , host (biology) , botany , larva , methyl jasmonate , resistance (ecology) , flea beetle , brassicaceae , agronomy , ecology , salicylic acid , linguistics , philosophy , genetics , biochemistry , gene
Elevated jasmonic acid (JA) concentrations in response to herbivory can induce wounded plants to produce defences against herbivores. In laboratory and field experiments we compared the effects of exogenous JA treatment to two closely related cabbage species on the host‐searching and oviposition preference of the diamondback moth (DBM), Plutella xylostella . JA‐treated Chinese cabbage ( Brassica campestris ) was less attractive than untreated Chinese cabbage to ovipositing DBM, while JA‐treatment of common cabbage ( B. oleracea ) made plants more attractive than untreated controls for oviposition by this insect. Similar effects were observed when plants of the two species were damaged by DBM larvae. In the absence of insect‐feeding, or JA application, Chinese cabbage is much more attractive to DBM than common cabbage. Inducible resistance therefore appears to occur in a more susceptible plant and induced susceptibility appears to occur in a more resistant plant, suggesting a possible balance mechanism between constitutive and inducible defences to a specialist herbivore.