Herbivore-induced plant volatiles: plant and insect responses

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Volatile organic compounds can play a dominant role in the ecology of plants. Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) are well documented for a number of agronomic plants, as is their role in attracting parasitoids and predators, thus providing indirect defense for the emitting plant. What is far less well know is the influence of HIPVs among different types of insect herbivores attacking the same plant, and whether insect herbivores can habituate to these olfactory signals from their host plants. Key parameters of global climate change - increasing CO2 and temperature - are predicted to alter plant defensive chemistry and may make crops more vulnerable to pests. Effects of these atmospheric factors on HIPVs has been little studied. I propose to explore HIPVs from three perspectives, that of the plant, the herbivore community and individual herbivores. Specifically, the objectives of the proposed research are: 1. To determine qualitative and quantitative differences in HIPVs between greenhouse grown and field grown tomato plants of comparable age, and if HIPVs are increased by CO2 enrichment; 2. To determine if HIPVs influence landing/settling by different herbivores (looper moths, aphids, whiteflies) either positively (attraction) or negatively (repellence/deterrence), including influence on conspecifics (i.e. the inducing species); 3. To determine if herbivores can become habituated to HIPVs after prolonged exposure These studies will enhance our understanding of the role of HIPVs in insect-plant interactions, in particular regarding their role in community ecology of insect herbivores. On the practical side, we may better predict how global climate change might impact food production by understanding how plant defences may change in response to abiotic factors, and how insects may in turn respond to HIPVs on a population and individual basis. Ultimately we may be able to turn to HIPVs to better effect pest management via manipulation of pest populations.