Dispersion of Myzus persicae and transmission of Potato virus Y under elevated CO₂ atmosphere

Abstract

Most phytoviruses use insect vectors to spread and infect the surrounding crop plants. Because atmospheric gas concentrations alter the physiology and metabolism of plants, we hypothesize that the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) affects the spread of viruses, due to modifications in the feeding behavior of the vector. Tobacco plants, Nicotiana tabacum L. (Solanaceae), and green peach aphids, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), were cultivated under ambient (450 p.p.m., termed aCO 2 ) and elevated (800 p.p.m., eCO 2 ) concentrations of CO 2 . For each atmospheric condition, we first evaluated the ability of the Potato virus Y to spread in a small experimental design, from a central infected tobacco plant to two surrounding circles of healthy plants in presence of aphid vectors for 7 days. The number of aphids recovered on each plant and the infection status of the plants (i.e., healthy vs. infected) were assessed at the end of the experiment. We also evaluated the ability of aphids to transmit the virus under the two experimental atmospheres, by immediately transferring a single insect from an infected plant to a healthy one. The presence of virus in healthy plants was then determined. We found that aphid dispersal, as well as the associated spread of viruses, did not differ between the two atmospheres. On the other hand, we found that aphids grown under eCO 2 were more efficient in transmitting viruses to healthy plants compared to aphids reared under aCO 2 conditions. The results of this experiment indicate that: (1) the ability of an aphid vector to spread a phytovirus is not affected by the level of CO 2 at short time and spatial scales, but (2) the concentration of CO 2 may affect plant defenses or the feeding behavior of herbivorous insects, resulting in more efficient viral transmission from the vector to the host plant.

Simultaneous Increase in CO2 and Temperature Alters Wheat Growth and Aphid Performance Differently Depending on Virus Infection

“…By the end of this century, atmospheric CO 2 concentration and global temperature on Earth will increase [1], directly and indirectly altering plant, insect, and virus interactions, thus affecting ecosystems, agriculture, and food production [44]. To date, most of the research regarding the impact of climate change on plant-insect-pathogen interactions has been conducted on a single climate or atmospheric variable, mainly either temperature or CO 2 [13,14,47,48,66]. However, to create representative conditions of future climate, research approaches should include the responses of multitrophic systems to climate variables that will occur simultaneously [17,27,45].…”

Feeding behavior, life history, and virus transmission ability of Bemisia tabaci Mediterranean species (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) under elevated CO2

“…However, Bosquee et al . () suggested that the altered plant defenses or aphid feeding behavior may have increased the ability of M. persicae to transmit phytoviruses under elevated CO 2 conditions. Furthermore, Xie et al .…”

“…Similarly, the results of Bosquee et al . () showed that the ability of Myzus persicae to spread PVY was unaffected by the level of CO 2 at short time frame and at different spatial scales. However, the same authors observed more efficient viral transmission under elevated CO 2 conditions, and it was suggested that the main reason was the altered plant defenses or changes in the feeding behavior of their vector.…”

Impact of Abiotic Stresses on Plant Virus Transmission by Aphids

“…However, different results were obtained in PVY transmission experiments realised under similar conditions. When PVY-infected tobacco plants and M. persicae aphids were placed under eCO 2 levels (800 ppm vs. 450 ppm), transmission efficiency increased [59]; however, no clear explanation for this increase was apparent.…”