Leafminer attack accelerates the development of soil‐dwelling conspecific pupae via plant‐mediated changes in belowground volatiles

• DOI: 10.1111/nph.17966
• Publication Date: 2022-01-14T07:46:48Z
• Authors: Rocío Escobar‐Bravo; Bernardus C. J. S...; Gaétan Glauser; Peter G. L. Klink...; Matthias Erb
• Keywords: Jasmonate; Methyl jasmonate

Herbivore population dynamics are strongly influenced by the interactions established through their shared host. Such plant-mediated can occur between different herbivore species and life developmental stages of same herbivore. However, whether these leaf-feeding herbivores soil-dwelling pupae is unknown. We studied tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaf herbivory American serpentine leafminer Liriomyza trifolii affects performance conspecific exposed to soil headspace plant. To gain mechanistic insights, we performed insect bioassays with jasmonate-deficient mutant def-1 its wild-type, along phytohormones, gene expression root volatiles analyses. Belowground accelerated metamorphosis when wild-type plants were attacked aboveground conspecifics. The opposite pattern was observed for plants, in which slowed metamorphosis. Leafminer attack induced jasmonate abscisic acid accumulation modulated volatile production roots a def-1-dependent manner. Our results demonstrate that triggers changes defence signalling expression, directly or indirectly via microbial volatiles, alter pupal development time. This finding expands repertoire plant-herbivore herbivory-induced modulation metamorphosis, potential consequences plant community dynamics.