Background: Little is known on factors determining infection of tropical plants by fungal pathogens, although multiple studies on model species show that light conditions affect the two major hormones that control resistance in plants to enemies. This is the first study using a natural population of a wild tropical plant to relate light conditions to resistance hormones and, the beneficial and detrimental interactions with insects and fungi. Hypothesis: Light conditions affect the endogenous levels of resistance hormones and thereby cause quantitative shifts among herbivores and nectrotrophic, biotrophic and endophytic fungi. Studied species: The tropical vine Syngonium podophyllum. Study site: Los Tuxtlas tropical rain forest, Mexico. Methods: We used GC-MS to quantify the concentration of the two resistance hormones in intact leaves and natural levels of herbivory and fungal disease in S. podophyllum plants growing naturally in the full sun or in the shade. Results: The proportion of leaves damaged by herbivores or infected by hemibiotrophic or necrotrophic pathogens was higher in shade than under full-light conditions. Damage caused by biotrophic pathogens was frequently observed in sun but not in shade. Levels of both hormones in phenotypically healthy leaves were higher in sun than in shade. Conclusions: (i) light has an effect on concentrations of plant resistance hormones in nature; (ii) these differences have consequences for fungi and animals that naturally interact with the plant, and (iii) the described effect can represent a physiological mechanism via which an abiotic factor affects the members of the guilds at higher trophic levels. Key Words: biotroph, fungal pathogen, endophyte, herbivore, hormone crosstalk, ITS5, jasmonic acid, necrotroph, resistance, salicylic acid Resumen Antecedentes: Poco se sabe sobre los factores que determinan la infección de plantas tropicales por patóge-nos, pero varios estudios con especies modelo muestran que las condiciones lumínicas afectan a las hormonas que controlan la resistencia de las plantas contra sus enemigos. Este es el primer estudio que analiza como las condiciones lumínicas afectan a las hormonas de resistencia y sus interacciones con insectos y hongos en una población silvestre. Hipótesis: Las condiciones lumínicas afectan los niveles endógenos de las hormonas de resistencia y por lo tanto afectan la incidencia de herbívoros y patógenos necrótrofos, biótrofos y endófitos. Especie estudiada: Syngonium podophyllum. Sitio de estudio: Los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, México. Métodos: Se utilizó GC-MS para cuantificar la concentración de hormonas de resistencia en hojas sanas y se evaluaron los niveles de daño por herbívoros y hongos patógenos en plantas de sol y sombra. Resultados: La proporción de hojas dañadas por herbívoros o infectadas por patógenos hemibiótrofos o necró-trofos fue mayor en la sombra que en luz. El daño causado por patógenos biótrofos se detectó en sol pero no en sombra. Los niveles de las hormonas de resistencia fueron más altos en sol ...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.