Mutualistic and antagonistic interactions differ in wild and domesticated papaya (Carica papaya) in its centre of origin

Abstract

Shifts in phenotypes derived from the domestication syndromes impact plant performance but may also affect interactions with other species in the community (e.g. mutualists and antagonists). Moreover, plantations often differ from the natural conditions experienced by the wild relatives of cultivated plants, potentially altering the nature of ecological interactions. However, apart from herbivory, little is known about how domestication and cultivation practices (e.g. insecticide application) can modify multiple ecological interactions simultaneously in wild and domesticated plants. In four sites on the Yucatan Peninsula, we compared the diversity of mutualists (e.g. moths) and antagonists (e.g. viruses) in wild and domesticated plants of papaya. For each individual, we recorded floral visitors and rates of visitation at three time periods during the day. We recorded type and percentage of damage by antagonists in three leaves of all individuals. Finally, we explored if plant sex had an effect on the interaction with floral visitors. The main floral visitors were ants and Trigona species, whereas viruses caused the main type of foliar damage. Wild individuals had a higher diversity and visitation rate of floral visitors, and less foliar damage from antagonists. Wild male individuals were more visited, but we observed a similar amount and diversity of damage in both sexes. The time of day did not have an effect on diversity of floral visitors. Together, cultivation practices and domestication appear to have an effect on the reduction in diversity of floral visitors in domesticated papaya, as well as an increase in foliar damage.

Land-use change alters specialist bee diet and drives body size declines

“…For example, domesticated ornamental and crop plants often have lower concentrations of nectar sugar and pollen protein than their wild counterparts (Roulston and Cane 2002;Egan et al 2018;Roger et al 2017;Lawson et al 2021). Additionally, some domesticated plants may not be recognized by bees as suitable floral resources if they display domestication syndromes including altered size and appearance, and changes in nectar chemistry, pollen protein content, and pollen amino acid profile, all of which can impact pollinator recruitment (Pickersgill 2007;Egan et al 2018;Pacheco-Huh et al 2021).…”

Influence of plant domestication on plant‐pollinator interactions: Floral attributes and floral visitor communities in wild and cultivated squash plants

“…Few studies have explored the differences in floral morphology and the flower visitor community of wild and domesticated plant species in their place of origin (Kuriakose et al, 2009; Pacheco‐Huh et al, 2020). It is reasonable to expect that domesticated plants may depend on pollinator communities originally found in natural habitats where the wild relatives of agricultural species originally occurred.…”