Belowground herbivore tolerance involves delayed overcompensatory root regrowth in maize

Robert, Christelle A. M.; Schirmer, Stefanie; Barry, Julie; Wade French, B.; Hibbard, Bruce E.; Gershenzon, Jonathan (2015). Belowground herbivore tolerance involves delayed overcompensatory root regrowth in maize. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 157(1), pp. 113-120. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing 10.1111/eea.12346

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Plants can tolerate leaf-herbivore attack through metabolic reconfigurations that allow for the rapid regrowth of lost leaves. Several studies indicate that root-attacked plants can re-allocate resources to the aboveground parts. However, the connection between tolerance and root regrowth remains poorly understood. We investigated the timing and extent of root regrowth of tolerant and susceptible lines of maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae), attacked by the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), in the laboratory and the field. Infested tolerant maize plants produced more root biomass and even overcompensated for the lost roots, whereas this effect was absent in susceptible lines. Furthermore, the tolerant plants slowed growth of new roots in the greenhouse and in the field 4–8 days after infestation, whereas susceptible plants slowed growth of new roots only in the field and only after 12 days of infestation. The quick response of tolerant lines may have enabled them to escape root attack by starving the herbivores and by saving resources for regrowth after the attack had ceased. We conclude that both timing and the extent of regrowth may determine plant tolerance to root herbivory.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Biotic Interactions

UniBE Contributor:

Robert, Christelle Aurélie Maud

Subjects:

500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)

ISSN:

0013-8703

Publisher:

Wiley-Blackwell Publishing

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

12 Nov 2015 11:12

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:50

Publisher DOI:

10.1111/eea.12346

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Diabrotica virgifera, Zea mays, root feeder, root behavior, root growth timing, western corn rootworm, Poaceae, Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.72903

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/72903

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