Because they suck phloem sap and act as vectors for phytopathogenic viruses, aphids pose a threat to crop yields worldwide. Pectic homogalacturonan (HG) has been described as a defensive element for plants during infections with phytopathogens. However, its role during aphid infestation remains unexplored. Using immunofluorescence assays and biochemical approaches, the HG methylesterification status and associated modifying enzymes during the early stage of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) infestation with the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) were analyzed. Additionally, the influence of pectin methylesterase (PME) activity on aphid settling and feeding behavior was evaluated by free choice assays and the Electrical Penetration Graph technique, respectively. Our results revealed that HG status and HG-modifying enzymes are significantly altered during the early stage of the plant-aphid interaction. Aphid infestation induced a significant increase in total PME activity and methanol emissions, concomitant with a decrease in the degree of HG methylesterification. Conversely, inhibition of PME activity led to a significant decrease in the settling and feeding preference of aphids. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the PME inhibitor AtPMEI13 has a defensive role during aphid infestation, since pmei13 mutants are significantly more susceptible to M. persicae in terms of settling preference, phloem access, and phloem sap drainage.

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Aphids are a major issue for commercial crops. These pests drain phloem nutrients and transmit ~50% of the known insect-borne viral diseases. During aphid feeding, trophic structures called stylets advance toward the phloem intercellularly, disrupting cell wall polymers. It is thought that cell wall-modifying enzymes (CWMEs) present in aphid saliva facilitate stylet penetration through this intercellular polymer network. Additionally, different studies have demonstrated that host settling preference, feeding behavior, and colony performance of aphids are influenced by modulating the CWME expression levels in host plants. CWMEs have been described as critical defensive elements for plants, but also as a key virulence factor for plant pathogens. However, whether CWMEs are elements of the plant defense mechanisms or the aphid infestation process remains unclear. Therefore, in order to better consider the function of CWMEs and cell wall-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) during plant–aphid interactions, the present review integrates different hypotheses, perspectives, and experimental evidence in the field of plant–aphid interactions and discusses similarities to other well-characterized models such as the fungi–plant pathosystems from the host and the attacker perspectives.

The firmness of blueberry is one of its most significant quality attributes. Modifications in the composition of the cell wall have been associated with changes in the fruit firmness. In this work, cell wall components and calcium concentration in two blueberry cultivars with contrasting firmness phenotypes were evaluated at harvest and 30 days cold storage (0 °C). High performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulse amperometric detector (HPAEC-PAD) analysis was performed using the “Emerald” (firmer) and “Jewel” (softer) blueberry cultivars, showing increased glucose in the firmer cultivar after cold storage. Moreover, the LM15 antibody, which recognizes xyloglucan domains, displayed an increased signal in the Emerald cultivar after 30 d cold storage. Additionally, the antibody 2F4, recognizing a homogalacturonan calcium-binding domain, showed a greater signal in the firmer Emerald blueberries, which correlates with a higher calcium concentration in the cell wall. These findings suggest that xyloglucan metabolism and a higher concentration of cell wall calcium influenced the firmness of the blueberry fruit. These results open new perspectives regarding the role of cell wall components as xyloglucans and calcium in blueberry firmness.

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Aphids and Pseudomonas syringae are a permanent challenge for agriculture, causing severe losses to the crop industry worldwide. Despite the obvious phylogenetic distance between them, both have become predominant colonizers of the plant kingdom. In this study, we reviewed three key steps of spread and colonization that aphids and P. syringae have mastered to successfully colonize the phyllosphere. These steps involve (i) plant-to-plant movement for locating new nutritional sources, (ii) disruption and modification of the apoplast to facilitate nutrient acquisition, and (iii) suppression of host defenses through effector proteins. In addition, we will provide insights about the direct interaction between aphids and P. syringae and how this yet underrated phenomenon could bring new ecological implications for both organisms beyond their pathogenicity.

The remarkable capacity of the generalist aphid Myzus persicae to resist most classes of pesticides, along with the environmental and human health risks associated with these agrochemicals, has necessitated the development of safer and greener solutions to control this agricultural pest. Oligogalacturonides (OGs) are pectin-derived molecules that can be isolated from fruit industry waste. OGs have been shown to efficiently stimulate plant defenses against pathogens such as Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea. However, whether OGs confer resistance against phytophagous insects such as aphids remains unknown. Here, we treated Arabidopsis plants with OGs and recorded their effects on the feeding performance and population of M. persicae aphids. We also identified the defense mechanism triggered by OGs in plants through the analysis of gene expression and histological approaches. We found that OG treatments increased their resistance to M. persicae infestation by reducing the offspring number and feeding performance. Furthermore, this enhanced resistance was related to a substantial accumulation of callose and reactive oxygen species and activation of the salicylic acid signaling pathway.