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Herbivory mitigation through increased water-use efficiency in a leaf-mining moth-apple tree relationship
Sylvain Pincebourde1, Ela Frak, Hervé Sinoquet
1Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (IRBI, CNRS UMR 6035), Université François Rabelais, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, 37200 Tours, France. sylvainp@biol.sc.edu
Plant, Cell & Environment
|November 4, 2006
Summary
Leaf miners, like the Phyllonorycter blancardella moth, can increase water-use efficiency (WUE) in apple leaves. This occurs despite minor reductions in photosynthesis, offering a novel plant defense strategy.
Area of Science:
- Plant physiology
- Insect-plant interactions
- Ecological responses to herbivory
Background:
- Herbivory significantly impacts plant gas exchange, with effects varying by damage type.
- Leaf miners, unlike external feeders, damage leaves internally, leaving surface integrity intact.
- The specific effects of leaf miners on CO2 uptake and water-use efficiency (WUE) remain largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of the leaf-mining moth Phyllonorycter blancardella on apple leaf gas exchange.
- To quantify the balance between reduced photosynthesis and altered water-use efficiency (WUE) due to mining.
- To understand the plant's adaptive mechanisms against internal herbivory.
Main Methods:
- Gas exchange measurements in intact and mined apple leaf tissues using an infrared gas analyzer.
- Analysis of light responses of net photosynthesis and transpiration rates.
- Comparison of water-use efficiency (WUE) between mined and unmined leaf areas.
Main Results:
- Maximal assimilation rates showed a slight reduction in mined tissues; light response of net photosynthesis remained unaffected.
- Transpiration rates were significantly reduced in mined areas, primarily due to stomatal closure at moderate to high irradiance.
- Water-use efficiency (WUE) in mined leaf tissues was approximately 200% higher compared to intact portions.
Conclusions:
- Leaf mining by Phyllonorycter blancardella leads to a substantial increase in water-use efficiency (WUE) in apple leaves.
- Plants may employ a trade-off strategy, balancing reduced photosynthetic capacity against enhanced WUE to mitigate herbivory impacts.
- This study reveals a novel mechanism of plant defense against internal herbivory through physiological adjustments.
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