Analysis of tea plant resistance to tea green leafhopper, Empoasca onukii, by detecting stylet‐probing behavior with DC electropenetrography

Abstract

The tea green leafhopper, Empoasca onukiiMatsuda (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae), is a serious pest of tea plants in East Asia. Previous work has shown that two tea germplasms, Cd19 and Cd289, sustain less hopperburn damage by E. onukii than does Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze cv. ‘Yabukita’ (Theaceae), and E. onukii excretes less honeydew on these germplasms than on the susceptible Yabukita. This study investigated the feeding behavior of E. onukii with a direct current electropenetrograph (DC EPG) to compare feeding behaviors, including ingestion, on resistant tea germplasms and Yabukita. Feeding behaviors on the resistant germplasms were significantly restricted, with few bouts of active ingestion of short duration and long periods of non‐probing, whereas E. onukii engaged in active ingestion of long duration many times on the susceptible cv. Yabukita. The tea germplasms, Cd19 and Cd289, therefore showed strong resistance to E. onukii. Furthermore, the shape of puncture holes left after probing was compared between the susceptible Yabukita and the resistant germplasms. The puncture holes on Cd19 and Cd289 were indistinct in shape and closed compared with those on Yabukita.

Defensive Responses of Tea Plants (Camellia sinensis) Against Tea Green Leafhopper Attack: A Multi-Omics Study

“…(Zust and Agrawal, 2017). In response to feeding by Helicoverpa armigera (a chewing insect) and Aphis craccivora (a sucking insect), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) induced the accumulation of different flavonoid compounds (Yorozuya, 2017). The differentially accumulated flavonoid metabolites identified herein may serve as important biochemical markers for induced resistance against insect herbivores.…”

Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis of putative digestive proteases in the salivary gland and gut of Empoasca (Matsumurasca) onukii Matsuda

“…Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the proteases in favor of expression in the SG or gut were separated in evolutionary directions. Tea cultivars resistant to the infestation of E. onukii were previously reported [11,44]. Proteases inhibitors are potential biocontrol agents for insectpests [45][46][47].…”

“…Currently, management of E. onukii infestation relies largely on applications of chemical pesticides, leading to potential problems of pesticide resistance and detrimental effects on the environment and human health [5][6][7][8]. Biological controls of E. onukii have also been reported but with very limited success [9][10][11]. Knowledge of the biochemistry and physiology of the ingestion system of E. onukii may support the innovation of novel strategies for the management of this serious insect-pest.…”

AC–DC electropenetrography unmasks fine temporal details of feeding behaviors for two tick species on unsedated hosts

“…EPG has made possible virtually all present knowledge of the role of feeding in vector-mediated transmission of plant pathogens 22 . In addition, EPG has been instrumental in gaining insights into and improvements in pest management 17 , such as: (i) targeting insecticide modes of action 23 , 24 ; (ii) improving host plant resistance 25 , 26 ; and, (iii) targets for RNAi 27 .…”