Comparative analysis of Solanum stoloniferum responses to probing by the green peach aphid Myzus persicae and the potato aphid Macrosiphum euphorbiae

Abstract

Plants protect themselves against aphid attacks by species-specific defense mechanisms. Previously, we have shown that Solanum stoloniferum Schlechtd has resistance factors to Myzus persicae Sulzer (Homoptera: Aphididae) at the epidermal/mesophyll level that are not effective against Macrosiphum euphorbiae Thomas (Homoptera: Aphididae). Here, we compare the nymphal mortality, the pre-reproductive development time, and the probing behavior of M. persicae and M. euphorbiae on S. stoloniferum and Solanum tuberosum L. Furthermore, we analyze the changes in gene expression in S. stoloniferum 96 hours post infestation by either aphid species. Although the M. euphorbiae probing behavior shows that aphids encounter more probing constrains on phloem activities-longer probing and salivation time- on S. stoloniferum than on S. tuberosum, the aphids succeeded in reaching a sustained ingestion of phloem sap on both plants. Probing by M. persicae on S. stoloniferum plants resulted in limited feeding only. Survival of M. euphorbiae and M. persicae was affected on young leaves, but not on senescent leaves of S. stoloniferum. Infestation by M. euphorbiae changed the expression of more genes than M. persicae did. At the systemic level both aphids elicited a weak response. Infestation of S. stoloniferum plants with a large number of M. persicae induced morphological changes in the leaves, leading to the development of pustules that were caused by disrupted vascular parenchyma and surrounding tissue. In contrast, an infestation by M. euphorbiae had no morphological effects. Both plant species can be regarded as good host for M. euphorbiae, whereas only S. tuberosum is a good host for M. persicae and S. stoloniferum is not. Infestation of S. stoloniferum by M. persicae or M. euphorbiae changed the expression of a set of plant genes specific for each of the aphids as well as a set of common genes.

Response of Solanum tuberosum to Myzus persicae infestation at different stages of foliage maturity

“…The cDNA was labeled with cyanine 3 (Cy3), and cyanine 5 (Cy5) fluorescent dyes (Amersham). cDNA was prepared and labeled as previously described (Alvarez et al ., ). The array used for the hybridization contains a collection of 3 570 S. tuberosum cDNA clones (Alvarez et al ., ).…”

Species-specific effects on salicylic acid content and subsequent Myzus persicae (Sulzer) performance by three phloem-sucking insects infesting Nicotiana tabacum L.

“…Plants can discriminate between stimuli. Squash (Cucurbita pepo) responds differently to B. tabaci MEAM1 and to B. tabaci New World (van de Ven et al 2000), Solanum stoloniferum responds differently to Macrosiphum euphorbiae and to M. persicae (Alvarez et al 2012), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) can discriminate between strains of M. euphorbiae (Hebert et al 2007). Thus, some host responses to insects are species-specific.…”

Plant resistance to aphid feeding: behavioral, physiological, genetic and molecular cues regulate aphid host selection and feeding

“…However, aphid‐resistant cultivars of potato, sorghum, soybean and wheat also exhibit dramatic aphid‐induced responses by overexpressing large and diverse ensembles of genes putatively contributing to aphid resistance . Transcriptomes of these resistant plants typically include homologs of constitutively expressed R genes, pathogenesis‐related (PR) proteins, plant reactive oxygen species (ROS) elicitors, jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), abscisic acid (ABA), giberellic acid (GA) signaling pathway genes and genes functioning in allelochemical and physical defenses against aphids.…”