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Terpene-mediated parasitoid host location behavior on transgenic and classically bred apple genotypes
Ute Vogler1, Anja S Rott, Cesare Gessler
1Applied Entomology, Institute of Plant Sciences, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 9/LFO, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
|September 3, 2009
Summary
Classical breeding in apples alters leaf chemistry, affecting insect interactions, unlike genetic modification for scab resistance. This impacts natural pest control by parasitoids.
Area of Science:
- Plant Science
- Entomology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Terpenes mediate plant-insect interactions.
- Apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) resistance is crucial for cultivation.
- Squalene is a triterpene involved in parasitoid host location.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate terpene-mediated interactions in transgenic vs. classically bred apples.
- Analyze insect infestation and apple scab resistance effects on squalene.
- Evaluate parasitoid responses to altered leaf chemistry.
Main Methods:
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for squalene quantification.
- Infestation with Phyllonorycter leafminers and inoculation with V. inaequalis.
- Behavioral bioassays with Pholetesor parasitoid females.
Main Results:
- Squalene content increased in leafminer-infested leaves of classically bred resistant apples, but not in transgenic resistant lines.
- Transgenic and classically bred resistant apples showed different squalene responses to infestation.
- Parasitoid behavior correlated with observed changes in leaf squalene levels.
Conclusions:
- Classical breeding alters apple leaf chemistry, influencing tritrophic interactions.
- Genetically modified apples for scab resistance did not show similar chemical alterations.
- Leaf chemistry changes in classically bred apples impact natural enemy efficacy.
