Indirect Interactions Between Plant Pathogens and Herbivorous Insects
Author Information
Author(s): Mouttet Raphaëlle, Bearez Philippe, Thomas Cécile, Desneux Nicolas, Smagghe Guy
Primary Institution: French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), UR 880, Sophia-Antipolis, France
Hypothesis
How do indirect interactions between a plant pathogen and herbivorous arthropods affect their life history traits?
Conclusion
The study found that pre-infestation by aphids reduced the growth of the pathogen Botrytis cinerea, while the pathogen negatively affected aphid population growth.
Supporting Evidence
- Aphid pre-infestation reduced fungal lesion size by up to 36%.
- Botrytis cinerea pre-infestation led to a decrease in aphid population growth by up to 40%.
- No significant effect was observed between thrips and aphids.
Takeaway
When one bug attacks a plant, it can make it harder for another bug to eat the same plant, like how a bully can scare away other kids.
Methodology
Experiments were conducted on young rose plants to assess the impact of indirect interactions on pests' life history traits.
Limitations
The study was conducted under controlled conditions, which may not fully represent natural ecosystems.
Participant Demographics
Young rose plants (Rosa hybrida cv. Sonia) were used in the experiments.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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