Endophyte-mediated tritrophic interactions between a grass-feeding caterpillar and two parasitoid species with different life histories

Bixby-Brosi, Andrea J.; Potter, Daniel

doi:10.1007/s11829-011-9163-2

Cited by 19 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 51 publications

(54 reference statements)

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“…, Miranda et al. , Bixby‐Brosi and Potter , Tack and Dicke ). How do plant‐fungus‐insect interactions scale up to the community level ? Herbivores sharing the same host plant interact with each other, either directly or indirectly (e.g., via resource depletion) (Crawford et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Fungi reduce preference and performance of insect herbivores on challenged plants

Fernández-Conradi

Jactel

Robin

et al. 2017

Ecology

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Although insect herbivores and fungal pathogens frequently share the same individual host plant, we lack general insights in how fungal infection affects insect preference and performance. We addressed this question in a meta-analysis of 1,113 case studies gathered from 101 primary papers that compared preference or performance of insect herbivores on control vs. fungus challenged plants. Generally, insects preferred, and performed better on, not challenged plants, regardless of experimental conditions. Insect response to fungus infection significantly differed according to fungus lifestyle, insect feeding guild, and the spatial scale of the interaction (local/distant). Insect performance was reduced on plants challenged by biotrophic pathogens or endophytes but not by necrotrophic pathogens. For both chewing and piercing-sucking insects, performance was reduced on challenged plants when interactions occurred locally but not distantly. In plants challenged by biotrophic pathogens, both preference and performance of herbivores were negatively impacted, whereas infection by necrotrophic pathogens reduced herbivore preference more than performance and endophyte infection reduced only herbivore performance. Our study demonstrates that fungi could be important but hitherto overlooked drivers of plant-herbivore interactions, suggesting both direct and plant-mediated effects of fungi on insect's behavior and development.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Fungi reduce preference and performance of insect herbivores on challenged plants

Fernández-Conradi

Jactel

Robin

et al. 2017

Ecology

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“…2006; de Sassi et al. 2006; Bixby‐Brosi and Potter 2012) have shown adverse tritrophic effects on natural enemies feeding on or within hosts consuming EI grasses, but the effects were mostly subtle. Bultman et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Laboratory studies (Bultman et al 1997;Finkes et al 2006;de Sassi et al 2006;Bixby-Brosi and Potter 2012) have shown adverse tritrophic effects on natural enemies feeding on or within hosts consuming EI grasses, but the effects were mostly subtle. Bultman et al (1997), for example, reported that in one trial, a eulophid parasitoid developed and survived equally well but had reduced pupal mass when its caterpillar host, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), fed on EI as opposed to EF tall fescue, whereas in another trial with the same species, the parasitoid's survival was reduced (Bultman et al 2009).…”

Section: Figmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arthropod abundance in tall fescue, Lolium arundinaceum, pastures containing novel ‘safe’ endophytes

Keathley¹,

Potter²

2011

J Applied Entomology

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Poor livestock performance on tall fescue is linked to infection by a fungal endophyte that enhances grass resistance to stress, including herbivory, while producing ergot alkaloids toxic to vertebrate grazers. Novel ‘safe’ endophyte/grass associations produce no ergot alkaloids yet retain stand persistence, but they could be more susceptible to insect outbreaks. We tested the hypothesis that grass‐feeding insects are more abundant in novel endophyte pastures compared with those containing common endophyte. Above‐ and below‐ground herbivores were sampled across two growing seasons in pastures containing common strain endophyte (KY31), novel endophytes (MaxQ or AR584) or endophyte free. We also sampled natural enemies as an indicator of possible tritrophic effects. With a few exceptions, numbers of predatory, chewing (grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars) or sucking insects (leafhoppers, planthoppers) were similar in common and novel endophyte pastures. Contrary to our hypothesis, Aphrodes spp. leafhoppers were more abundant in KY31 than other pasture types in 2008; their nymphs also were more abundant in KY31 than in MaxQ in 2009. Adults (but not total numbers or nymphs) of another leafhopper, Psammotettix striatus, were less abundant in KY31 than other pasture types in 2009. Popillia japonica and Cyclocephala spp. grubs did not differ in density, weight or instar among the endophyte‐containing associations. In feeding assays, armyworm (Mythimna unipuncta) survival was higher on MaxQ and NE9301, and weight gain was higher on NE9301, suggesting armyworm outbreaks could be more severe on such grasses, but that result may not be attributable solely to alkaloids because common strain and endophyte‐free grasses did not differ in either parameter. Caterpillar abundance did not differ among pasture types in the field. Our results suggest that re‐seeding common strain endophytic pastures with livestock‐safe novel endophyte/grass associations to alleviate fescue toxicosis is unlikely to promote markedly higher populations of plant‐feeding insects.

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“…Understanding of these multitrophic-level interactions is very important in explaining the success or failure of integration of plant resistance and biological control agents. Most of the studies on trophic interactions involving endophyte-infected plants, insect herbivores and their parasitoids have been conducted on grass endophytes (Bultman et al 2003;Harri et al 2008;Bixby-Brosi and Potter 2011). However, the relationship between fungal endophytes of tropical plants and their effect on insect herbivores and their parasitoids has not been previously much described.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endophyte-mediated interactions between cauliflower, the herbivore Spodoptera litura, and the ectoparasitoid Bracon hebetor

et al. 2015

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Fungal endosymbionts in plants may influence interactions among plants, herbivores and their parasitoids through the production of secondary metabolites. We used a lepidopteran pest and its generalist parasitoid to test the effect of endophyte-infected plants on a third trophic level. Endophytic fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger, isolated from Acacia arabica, were used to infect cauliflower plants. We found that the presence of the endophyte in the plants significantly extended the development period of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) larvae. Feeding of the host on endophyte-infected plants further adversely affected the development and performance of its parasitoid, Bracon hebetor (Say). A negative impact was also recorded for longevity and fecundity of endophyte-naive parasitoid females due to the parasitization of host larvae fed on endophyte-infected plants. The presence of endophytes in the diet of the host larvae significantly prolonged the development of the parasitoid. A strong detrimental effect was also recorded for larval survival and emergence of parasitoid adults. The longevity and parasitism rate of female wasps were reduced significantly due to the ingestion of endophyte-infected cauliflower plants by S. litura larvae. Overall, we found that both endophytic fungi had a negative impact on the parasitoid.

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Endophyte-mediated tritrophic interactions between a grass-feeding caterpillar and two parasitoid species with different life histories

Cited by 19 publications

References 51 publications

Fungi reduce preference and performance of insect herbivores on challenged plants

Fungi reduce preference and performance of insect herbivores on challenged plants

Arthropod abundance in tall fescue, Lolium arundinaceum, pastures containing novel ‘safe’ endophytes

Endophyte-mediated interactions between cauliflower, the herbivore Spodoptera litura, and the ectoparasitoid Bracon hebetor

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