A5059304667- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Insect Pest Control Strategies
- Allelopathy and phytotoxic interactions
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Plant and animal studies
- Weed Control and Herbicide Applications
- Nematode management and characterization studies
- Polysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance
- Polysaccharides Composition and Applications
- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Plant responses to elevated CO2
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
University of Bern
2016-2025
Université de Nîmes
2022-2025
Université de Montpellier
2022-2025
Edinburgh Cancer Research
2022-2025
Western General Hospital
2025
University of Edinburgh
2025
NHS Lothian
2025
Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research
2018-2024
Institute of Plant Biology
2017-2023
Centre d’Economie rurale
2012-2022
Abstract By changing soil properties, plants can modify their growth environment. Although the microbiota is known to play a key role in resulting plant-soil feedbacks, proximal mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unknown. We found that benzoxazinoids, class of defensive secondary metabolites are released by roots cereals such as wheat and maize, alter root-associated fungal bacterial communities, decrease plant growth, increase jasmonate signaling defenses, suppress herbivore...
Abstract Herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds prime non-attacked plant tissues to respond more strongly subsequent attacks. However, the key volatiles that trigger this primed state remain largely unidentified. In maize, release of aromatic compound indole is herbivore-specific and occurs earlier than other induced responses. We therefore hypothesized may be involved in airborne priming. Using indole-deficient mutants synthetic dispensers, we show herbivore-induced enhances induction...
Fatty acid derivatives are of central importance for plant immunity against insect herbivores; however, major regulatory genes and the signals that modulate these defense metabolites vastly understudied, especially in important agro-economic monocot species. Here we show products derived from a single Zea mays (maize) lipoxygenase (LOX), ZmLOX10, critical both direct indirect defenses to herbivory. We provide genetic evidence two 13-LOXs, ZmLOX10 ZmLOX8, specialize providing substrate green...
Summary 1. Induced changes in plant quality can mediate indirect interactions between herbivores. Although the sequence of attack by different herbivores has been shown to influence responses, little is known about how this affects themselves. 2. We therefore investigated induction leaf herbivore Spodoptera frugiperda influences resistance teosinte ( Zea mays mexicana) and cultivated maize (Zea mays) against root‐feeding larvae Diabrotica virgifera . The importance arrival was tested field...
• In response to herbivore attack, plants mobilize chemical defenses and release distinct bouquets of volatiles. Aboveground herbivores are known use changes in leaf volatile patterns make foraging decisions, but it remains unclear whether belowground also volatiles select suitable host plants. We therefore investigated how above- infestation affects the performance root feeder Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, larvae this specialized beetle able cues assess from a distance potential plant is...
Ecology Letters (2011) 14 : 55–64 Abstract The most valuable organs of plants are often particularly rich in essential elements, but also very well defended. This creates a dilemma for herbivores that need to maximise energy intake while minimising intoxication. We investigated how the specialist root herbivore Diabrotica virgifera solves this conundrum when feeding on wild and cultivated maize plants. found crown roots seedlings were vital plant development and, accordance, nutritious...
Herbivore attack leads to resource conflicts between plant defensive strategies. Photoassimilates are required for compounds and carbon storage below ground may therefore be depleted or enriched in the roots of herbivore-defoliated plants. The potential role belowground tissues as mediators induced tolerance-defense trade-offs is unknown. We evaluated signaling carbohydrate dynamics Nicotiana attenuata following Manduca sexta attack. Experimental natural genetic variability was exploited...
Plants respond to herbivory by reprogramming their metabolism. Most research in this context has focused on locally induced compounds that function as toxins or feeding deterrents. We developed an ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TOF-MS)-based metabolomics approach evaluate local and systemic herbivore-induced changes maize leaves, sap, roots root exudates without any prior assumptions about function. Thirty-two differentially regulated were...
Bacterial symbionts are crucial for the infectivity and success of entomopathogenic nematodes as biological control agents. The current understanding symbiotic relationships is limited by taxonomic uncertainties. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing traditional techniques to reconstruct phylogenetic between all described Photorhabdus species subspecies well 11 newly isolated bacteria Heterorhabditis nematodes, including unreported bacterial partner H. beicherriana. In silico DNA-DNA...
Abstract Induced defenses play a key role in plant resistance against leaf feeders. However, very little is known about the signals that are involved defending plants root feeders and how they influenced by abiotic factors. We investigated these aspects for interaction between rice (Oryza sativa) two root-feeding insects: generalist cucumber beetle (Diabrotica balteata) more specialized water weevil (Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus). Rice responded to attack increasing production of jasmonic acid...
Insect herbivores depend on their host plants to acquire macro- and micronutrients. Here we asked how a specialist herbivore damaging maize pest, the western corn rootworm, finds accesses plant-derived We show that root-feeding larvae use complexes between iron benzoxazinoid secondary metabolites identify as host, forage within root system, increase growth. Maize these same benzoxazinoids for protection against generalist and, shown here, uptake. an transporter allows rootworm benefit from...
Benzoxazinoids are important defense compounds in grasses. Here, we investigated the biosynthesis and biological roles of 8-O-methylated benzoxazinoids, DIM2BOA-Glc HDM2BOA-Glc. Using quantitative trait locus mapping heterologous expression, identified a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (BX13) that catalyzes conversion DIMBOA-Glc into new benzoxazinoid intermediate (TRIMBOA-Glc) by an uncommon reaction involving hydroxylation likely ortho-rearrangement methoxy group. TRIMBOA-Glc is then...
Summary Plants release herbivore‐induced volatiles ( HIPV s), which can be used as cues by plants, herbivores and natural enemies. Theory predicts that s may initially have evolved because of their direct benefits for the emitter were subsequently adopted infochemicals. Here, we investigated potential indole, a major constituent many plant species key defence priming signal in maize. We indole‐deficient maize mutants synthetic indole at physiologically relevant doses to document impact...
Plants produce large amounts of secondary metabolites in their shoots and roots store them specialized secretory structures. Although structures are commonly assumed to have a defensive function, evidence that they benefit plant fitness under herbivore attack is scarce, especially below ground. Here, we tested whether latex produced by the common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.) decrease performance its major native insect root herbivore, larvae cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha),...
Plant secondary metabolites that are released into the rhizosphere alter biotic and abiotic soil properties, which in turn affect performance of other plants. How this type plant-soil feedback affects agricultural productivity food quality field context crop rotations is unknown. Here, we assessed performance, yield three winter wheat varieties growing plots whose soils had been conditioned by either wild or benzoxazinoid-deficient bx1 maize mutant Following cultivation, detected...
Plants exude specialized metabolites from their roots, and these compounds are known to structure the root microbiome. However, underlying mechanisms poorly understood. We established a representative collection of maize bacteria tested tolerance against benzoxazinoids (BXs), dominant bioactive in exudates plants. In vitro experiments revealed that BXs inhibited bacterial growth strain- compound-dependent manner. Tolerance selective antimicrobial depended on cell wall structure. Further, we...
ABSTRACT: A study of the influence extraction conditions (pH: 1.5 to 2; temperature: 80 90 °C; time: 1 3 h), on yield and purity apple pomace pectin without elimination impurities by alcohol washing was carried out. The precipitate yields varied from 2.9% 8.9% depending pH. At pH 1.5, these were higher than those obtained at 2 contrary galacturonic acid (%w/w). Compounds other pectins solubilized cell walls they precipitated with alcohol. different procedures highly methylated (54.5% 79.5%),...
Summary Genetic manipulation of plant volatile emissions is a promising tool to enhance defences against herbivores. However, the potential costs associated with specific synthase genes are unknown. Therefore, we investigated physiological and ecological effects transforming maize line terpene gene in field laboratory assays, both above‐ below ground. The transformation, which resulted constitutive emission ( E )‐β‐caryophyllene α‐humulene, was found compromise seed germination, growth...