Review
Microbiology
A. M. Pirttila, V. Brusila, J. J. Koskimaki, P. R. Wali, A. L. Ruotsalainen, M. Mutanen, A. M. Markkola
Summary: Prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial symbiotic communities exist across different kingdoms, extending the host genome and aiding adaptation to changing environments. Plants and insects carry a variety of microbes on their surfaces, internally, and even within cells, with the insect gut being a selective environment. Despite their high dependence and frequent interaction, it remains uncertain how much plants and insects exchange and modify each other's microbiomes. This review focuses on herbivores that feed on plants in forest ecosystems, discussing the plant microbiome, overlap with insect microbial communities, and the effects of microbiome exchange on each host's fitness.
Article
Entomology
Marcel van der Merwe, Michael D. Jukes, Caroline Knox, Sean D. Moore, Martin P. Hill
Summary: The false codling moth has a close relationship with beneficial yeasts found in their digestive tract, which help them with oviposition, development, and attraction. Combining these yeasts with other biological control agents can improve the control of the false codling moth, and the yeasts can also be used to monitor pest populations in the field.
Article
Microbiology
Francine Yuriko Otsuka Rocha, Aldomario Santo Negrisoli Junior, Gustavo Feitosa de Matos, Patricia de Medeiros Gitahy, Carolina Nachi Rossi, Marcia Soares Vidal, Jose Ivo Baldani
Summary: This study identified a great diversity of culturable Bacillus species within plant niches and in the digestive tract of the giant borer, with 11 strains corresponding to B. thuringiensis species. These findings suggest the possibility of developing an efficient biological control method for the giant borer using these identified strains.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Amrita Chakraborty, Boyd Mori, Guillermo Rehermann, Armando Hernandez Garcia, Joelle Lemmen-Lechelt, Arne Hagman, Sammar Khalil, Sebastian Hakansson, Peter Witzgall, Paul G. Becher
Summary: Research demonstrates a mutualistic relationship between the spotted wing drosophila and yeast H. uvarum, with the yeast promoting larval development of the fly on fruits and the fly aiding yeast dispersal and growth on berries. They modify their shared habitat through reciprocal niche construction and mutual interaction.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ming Zeng, Bettina Hause, Nicole M. van Dam, Henriette Uthe, Petra Hoffmann, Franziska Krajinski, Ainhoa Martinez-Medina
Summary: This study examined the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis on plant resistance and tolerance to Spodoptera exigua herbivory using Medicago truncatula plants. The results showed that AM symbiosis increased plant tolerance and promoted herbivore performance by enhancing phosphorus (Pi) uptake pathways. Additionally, AM symbiosis counteracted the herbivore-induced jasmonate burst, reducing plant resistance. The mycorrhizal Pi uptake pathway was found to play a crucial role in the plant's response to herbivory.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Aileen Berasategui, Abraham G. Moller, Benjamin Weiss, Christopher W. Beck, Caroline Bauchiero, Timothy D. Read, Nicole M. Gerardo, Hassan Salem
Summary: The bean beetle Callosobruchus maculatus harbors a stable gut bacterial community dominated by Staphylococcus gallinarum, which may play an important role in the host's adaptation. The bacterial symbionts in herbivorous insect pests like the bean beetle provide essential nutrients and may have adaptive significance for the agricultural pest's survival.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ayaovi Agbessenou, Komivi S. Akutse, Abdullahi A. Yusuf, Fathiya M. Khamis
Summary: The use of endophytic fungi, such as Trichoderma asperellum M2RT4, can significantly improve plant performance and enhance plant protection against pests like Tuta absoluta. This study demonstrates that the presence of the endophytic fungus affects the behavior and selection of T. absoluta, as well as the chemical composition of the tomato plant. The production of (Z)-jasmone by the fungus activates defense pathways in the plant, while methyl salicylate could be a potential semiochemical for T. absoluta management. These findings contribute to the development of environmentally friendly strategies for managing T. absoluta.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
George Saour, Ali Hashem, Iyad Jassem
Summary: The study investigates the effects of irradiation on the reproductive behavior of Lobesia botrana, an insect pest of grapevines. It examines the oviposition, mating ability, and multiple mating of females treated with a radiation dose of 150 Gy. The study also explores the last-male sperm precedence and male flight response to treated females. The findings provide valuable information for implementing an eco-friendly control tactic, the sterile insect technique/inherited sterility (SIT/IS), as part of integrated pest management for L. botrana.
Article
Entomology
Marcin W. Zielonka, Tom W. Pope, Simon R. Leather
Summary: The carnation tortrix moth is an economically important insect species in the horticultural industry in the UK, with significant differences in survival and reproductive abilities on different host plants, indicating that different host plants have varied effects on its development.
BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Miika Laihonen, Kari Saikkonen, Marjo Helander, Beatriz R. Vazquez de Aldana, Inigo Zabalgogeazcoa, Benjamin Fuchs
Summary: Plants host diverse communities of microbes, and interactions among plant-associated microbes can have joint consequences for higher trophic levels. This study found that plant mutualistic fungi can increase the infection probability of a pathogenic fungus, which then becomes beneficial to the plant by controlling herbivorous insects.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Eduardo Soares Calixto, Denise Lange, Judith Bronstein, Helena Maura Torezan-Silingardi, Kleber Del-Claro
Summary: Plants allocate defenses to decrease costs and maximize benefits against herbivores. Optimal Defense Theory predicts that continuously expressed defenses are expected in structures of high value, while induced defenses are expected in structures of low value. This study showed that extrafloral nectar production and ant recruitment varied according to the plant structure on which EFNs are located, supporting predictions from ODT.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Vasvi Chaudhry, Paul Runge, Priyamedha Sengupta, Gunther Doehlemann, Jane E. Parker, Eric Kemen
Summary: The aerial portion of plants, particularly the leaves, are inhabited by pathogenic and non-pathogenic microbes, which interact with the host plant and with each other to form complex microbial communities. Understanding these interactions is crucial for developing biotechnological applications such as plant-protective probiotics.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yayuan Chen, Adriana Puentes, Christer Bjorkman, Agnes Brosset, Helena Bylund
Summary: Experiments conducted on Scots pine seedlings revealed significant differences in plant defense efficacy between MeJA and mechanical damage treatments. Needle-piercing damage treatment actually increased insect feeding, while MeJA significantly slowed down seedling growth.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Jeremy B. Yoder, Albert Dang, Caitlin MacGregor, Mikhail Plaza
Summary: Interactions between species are known to promote diversification, but the mechanisms behind the formation of new species are still unclear. This study examined the population genetic structure of host plants and associated species to understand how interactions contribute to diversification. The results showed that the population structure of associated species often paralleled that of their hosts, with antagonistic interactions having a stronger influence on diversity compared to mutualistic interactions.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Lei Shang, Zi-Cong Li, Ke Tian, Bin Yang, Gui-Rong Wang, Ke-Jian Lin
Summary: In this study, 60 candidate odorant receptors, including eight pheromone receptors, were identified by antennal transcriptome analysis. It was found that GmolOR2 responds to the main sex pheromones Z8-12:OAc and E8-12:OAc, and knockdown of GmolOR2 significantly reduces the males' sensitivity to the main pheromones.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Santosh V. Revadi, Vito Antonio Giannuzzi, Ramesh R. Vetukuri, William B. Walker, Paul G. Becher
Summary: Research shows that larvae of Spodoptera littoralis are attracted to their own frass volatiles, with the key ligand being guaiacol. Bacteria producing guaiacol were isolated from frass of larvae fed on different foods. The study demonstrates that guaiacol is attractive to the larvae and could be used for pest management.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Entomology
Johan A. Stenberg, Ingvar Sundh, Paul G. Becher, Christer Bjorkman, Mukesh Dubey, Paul A. Egan, Hanna Friberg, Jose F. Gil, Dan F. Jensen, Mattias Jonsson, Magnus Karlsson, Sammar Khalil, Velemir Ninkovic, Guillermo Rehermann, Ramesh R. Vetukuri, Maria Viketoft
Summary: This paper discusses the concept and terminology of biological control, proposing three principles to support the concept and introducing a new framework for the field. The aim is to facilitate future development of biological pest control practices and optimize regulatory approaches and application of biocontrol products.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Aroonrat Kidyoo, Manit Kidyoo, Rumsais Blatrix, Gwenaelle Deconninck, Doyle McKey, Paweena Ekkaphan, Magali Proffit
Summary: The study demonstrates that the Ceropegia hirsuta from Thailand is actually a distinct new species, C. citrina, separate from the C. hirsuta in India and other congeners. It emphasizes that morphological convergence can lead to taxonomic errors within the genus Ceropegia and phylogenetic relationships are largely consistent with geographic distribution.
PLANT SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Correction
Entomology
Johan A. Stenberg, Ingvar Sundh, Paul G. Becher, Christer Bjorkman, Mukesh Dubey, Paul A. Egan, Hanna Friberg, Jose F. Gil, Dan F. Jensen, Mattias Jonsson, Magnus Karlsson, Sammar Khalil, Velemir Ninkovic, Guillermo Rehermann, Ramesh R. Vetukuri, Maria Viketoft
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Correction
Entomology
Johan A. Stenberg, Ingvar Sundh, Paul G. Becher, Christer Bjorkman, Mukesh Dubey, Paul A. Egan, Hanna Friberg, Jose F. Gil, Dan F. Jensen, Mattias Jonsson, Magnus Karlsson, Sammar Khalil, Velemir Ninkovic, Guillermo Rehermann, Ramesh R. Vetukuri, Maria Viketoft
Summary: The correction to this paper has been published.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Felipe Borrero-Echeverry, Marit Solum, Federica Trona, Paul G. Becher, Erika A. Wallin, Marie Bengtsson, Peter Witzgall, Sebastien Lebreton
Summary: This study investigates the premating olfactory communication in Drosophila melanogaster and reveals the gender-specific interaction between the female-produced Z4-11Al and the male pheromone cVA with food odour. Z4-11Al induces courtship behaviour in both experienced males and females, while cVA mainly affects close-range courtship between males and females. Furthermore, blending food odour with pheromones can enhance attractiveness.
JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Guillermo Rehermann, Urban Spitaler, Karolina Sahle, Carlo S. Cossu, Lorenz Delle Donne, Flavia Bianchi, Daniela Eisenstecken, Sergio Angeli, Silvia Schmidt, Paul G. Becher
Summary: The yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum can manipulate the behavior of Drosophila suzukii by attracting them to insecticide formulations. The yeast attraction competes with grape berries and enhances insecticide effectiveness, suggesting that spray applications targeting the canopy only could reduce residues on fruit without compromising management efficacy.
PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Amrita Chakraborty, Boyd Mori, Guillermo Rehermann, Armando Hernandez Garcia, Joelle Lemmen-Lechelt, Arne Hagman, Sammar Khalil, Sebastian Hakansson, Peter Witzgall, Paul G. Becher
Summary: Research demonstrates a mutualistic relationship between the spotted wing drosophila and yeast H. uvarum, with the yeast promoting larval development of the fly on fruits and the fly aiding yeast dispersal and growth on berries. They modify their shared habitat through reciprocal niche construction and mutual interaction.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Isabella Kleman, Guillermo Rehermann, Charles A. Kwadha, Peter Witzgall, Paul G. Becher
Summary: The study found that using H. uvarum as a bait can effectively attract D. suzukii while reducing the capture of non-target species.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Candice Dubuisson, Florence Nicole, Bruno Buatois, Martine Hossaert-McKey, Magali Proffit
Summary: This study investigated the effect of high ozone concentration on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by flowering lavender. The results showed that short-term exposure to high ozone concentration did not affect the emission of VOCs by lavender. However, the composition of VOCs changed after reacting with ozone in the atmosphere.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andreas Naundrup, Bjorn Bohman, Charles A. Kwadha, Annette B. Jensen, Paul G. Becher, Henrik H. De Fine Licht
Summary: A study found that a host-specific fungus manipulates the behavior of its host and uses sexual deception to attract uninfected male houseflies to mate with infected female cadavers, increasing the likelihood of infection.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Maria Sousa, Emina Mulaosmanovic, Anna Laura Erdei, Marie Bengtsson, Peter Witzgall, Beatrix W. Alsanius
Summary: Transmission of foodborne pathogens, specifically shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, by plants has become a concern in the public health field. Current methods of sampling and processing cannot reliably eliminate the presence of pathogenic microbes. This study shows that volatile organic compounds are suitable for detecting contamination of leafy vegetables with E. coli O157:H7, and further research will focus on adapting the method for different conditions and increasing its sensitivity.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Johan A. Stenberg, Paul G. Becher, Mattias Jonsson, Magnus Karlsson, Ingvar Sundh, Maria Viketoft
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)