Caterpillar-induced rice volatiles provide enemy-free space for the offspring of the brown planthopper

• DOI: 10.7554/elife.55421
• Publication Date: 2020-08-11T00:00:21Z
• Authors: Xiaoyun Hu; Shuangli Su; Qingsong Liu; Yaoyu Jiao; Yufa Peng; Yunhe Li; Ted CJ Turlings
• Keywords: Brown planthopper; Rice plant

Plants typically release large quantities of volatiles in response to herbivory by insects. This benefits the plants by, for instance, attracting natural enemies herbivores. We show that brown planthopper (BPH) has cleverly turned this around exploiting herbivore-induced plant (HIPVs) provide safe havens its offspring. BPH females preferentially oviposit on rice already infested striped stem borer (SSB), which are avoided egg parasitoid Anagrus nilaparvatae , most important enemy BPH. Using synthetic versions identified from and/or SSB, we demonstrate role HIPVs these interactions. Moreover, greenhouse and field cage experiments confirm adaptiveness oviposition strategy, resulting 80% lower parasitism rates eggs. Besides revealing a novel exploitation HIPVs, findings may lead control strategies against an exceedingly pest.