Diversity and Traits of Multiple Biotic Stressors Elicit Differential Defense Responses in Legumes

Saumik Basu (), Natalia Moroz, Benjamin W. Lee, Kiwamu Tanaka, Liesl Oeller, Chase W. Baerlocher and David W. Crowder
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Saumik Basu: Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
Natalia Moroz: Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
Benjamin W. Lee: Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
Kiwamu Tanaka: Department of Plant Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
Liesl Oeller: Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
Chase W. Baerlocher: Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
David W. Crowder: Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: In agroecosystems, plants frequently confront multiple biotic stressors, including herbivores and pathogens. The nature of these interactions plays a crucial role in mediating the activation of plant defense mechanisms. However, induction of plant chemical defenses has been more well studied than the induction of physical defenses. Here, we assessed the physical and chemical defense responses of pea ( Pisum sativum ) plants after exposure to three stressors: a vector herbivore (pea aphid, Acrythosiphon pisum ), a non-vector herbivore (pea leaf weevil, Sitona lineatus ), and a virus ( Pea enation mosaic virus , PEMV). We used various histochemical staining techniques show that viruliferous A. pisum (transmitting PEMV) strongly induced callose deposition (aniline blue staining) and antioxidant-mediated defenses (DAB and NBT staining) in peas, primarily through accumulating reactive oxygen species (ROS). High-throughput phenotyping showed that viruliferous aphids reduced plant photosynthetic efficiency, but plants infected with PEMV had increased cell death (trypan blue staining). However, herbivory by aphids and weevils did not strongly induce defenses in peas, even though weevil feeding significantly reduced pea leaf area. These results show that not all herbivores induce strong defensive responses, and plant responses to vector species depends on their virus infection status. More broadly, our results indicate that variable stressors differentially regulate various plant responses through intricate chemical and physical defense pathways.

Keywords: plant defense; callose deposition; reactive oxygen species; biotic stressors; phenotyping; cell death; photosynthetic efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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