Diffusive Phyllosphere Microbiome Potentially Regulates Harm and Defence Interactions Between Stephanitis nashi and...

Area of Science:

• Microbial ecology
• Plant-insect interactions
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Pear lace bug (Stephanitis nashi) is a key pest of crabapple (Malus sp.).
• The role of insect and plant microbiomes in pest-plant interactions is not fully understood.
• Understanding these interactions is crucial for managing agricultural pests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of pear lace bug damage on the crabapple phyllosphere microbiome.
• To explore the relationship between insect-associated bacteria, plant-associated bacteria, and plant metabolic responses.
• To elucidate the role of bacterial diffusion in plant-insect-microbiome interactions.

Main Methods:

• Community structure analysis of bacteria in pear lace bugs and crabapple phyllosphere.
• Metabolomic profiling of crabapple leaves under pest attack.
• Correlation and diffusion analysis to link microbial and metabolic changes.

Main Results:

• Pear lace bug damage significantly altered bacterial community structure and reduced evenness in the crabapple phyllosphere.
• Bacterial diversity in S. nashi was lower than in the environment, influenced by insect development and endosymbionts.
• A bacterial diffusion effect was observed from soil to phyllosphere to S. nashi, impacting crabapple metabolism.
• Metabolic pathways related to vitamin, amino acid, and lipid metabolism were altered in response to pest damage.

Conclusions:

• Bacterial diffusion between insects and plants plays a significant role in regulating insect adaptability and plant defense.
• The phyllosphere microbiome is a key factor in mediating interactions between pear lace bugs and crabapple.
• This study provides novel insights into the complex interplay of plant-insect-microbiome systems.