Salicylic and jasmonic acid crosstalk manipulation by whiteflies weakens larval parasitoid recruitment

Interactions between signaling hormones act as a central hub of plant defenses, determining how plants respond to attacks by different herbivores and pathogens. Understanding how this hormonal crosstalk influences direct and indirect defenses is key for both ecological insight and pest management. Dong et al. (2025) reveal that the phloem-feeding whitefly Bemisia tabaci activates salicylic acid (SA) signaling, which suppresses jasmonic acid- (JA) dependent volatiles, thereby weakening the attraction of larval parasitoids of Pieris rapae while leaving recruitment of egg parasitoids unaffected. By linking NPR1-mediated SA-JA antagonism with changes in herbivore-induced volatiles and parasitoid behavior, this study provides mechanistic clarity on how herbivores affect plant defenses and reshape multitrophic interactions.