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Ghirardo, A. ; Heller, W. ; Fladung, M.* ; Schnitzler, J.-P. ; Schroeder, H.*

Function of defensive volatiles in pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) is tricked by the moth Tortrix viridana.

Plant Cell Environ. 35, 2192-2207 (2012)
DOI PMC
Open Access Green as soon as Postprint is submitted to ZB.
The indirect defences of plants are comprised of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that among other things attract the natural enemies of insects. However, the actual extent of the benefits of HIPV emissions in complex co-evolved plant-herbivore systems is only poorly understood. The observation that a few Quercus robur L. trees constantly tolerated (T-oaks) infestation by a major pest of oaks (Tortrix viridana L.), compared with heavily defoliated trees (susceptible: S-oaks), lead us to a combined biochemical and behavioural study. We used these evidently different phenotypes to analyse whether the resistance of T-oaks to the herbivore was dependent on the amount and scent of HIPVs and/or differences in non-volatile polyphenolic leaf constituents (as quercetin-, kaempferol- and flavonol glycosides). In addition to non-volatile metabolic differences, typically defensive HIPV emissions differed between S-oaks and T-oaks. Female moths were attracted by the blend of HIPVs from S-oaks, showing significantly higher amounts of (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) and (E)-β-ocimene and avoid T-oaks with relative high fraction of the sesquiterpenes α-farnesene and germacrene D. Hence, the strategy of T-oaks exhibiting directly herbivore-repellent HIPV emissions instead of high emissions of predator-attracting HIPVs of the S-oaks appears to be the better mechanism for avoiding defoliation.
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Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Corresponding Author
Keywords herbivore-induced plant volatiles; PTR-MS; terpenes; volatile organic compounds; Y-tube-olfactometer; PLANT-CARNIVORE MUTUALISM; HOST-PLANT; L.; LEAVES; PROANTHOCYANIDIN; CATERPILLARS; LEPIDOPTERA; ARABIDOPSIS; HERBIVORY; EMISSIONS
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0140-7791
e-ISSN 1365-3040
Journal Plant, Cell and Environment
Quellenangaben Volume: 35, Issue: 12, Pages: 2192-2207 Article Number: , Supplement: ,
Publisher Wiley
Publishing Place Malden, MA
Non-patent literature Publications
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Institute(s) Research Unit Environmental Simulation (BIOP-EUS)