Beyond the gene: Linking herbivore behaviour to plant defense gene expression.

超越基因：将食草动物的行为与植物防御基因的表达联系起来。这个合作项目调查昆虫食草动物避免植物防御机制。我们的项目很新颖，因为它整合了植物在多个不同水平上的变化，并将它们与昆虫的觅食行为联系起来。研究人员认为昆虫对植物防御的反应是通过改变它们的觅食行为。这还没有直接测试过。我们使用遗传特性良好的植物拟南芥和世界范围内的害虫Helicoverpa(Heliothis)作为模型系统。昆虫食草动物对农作物造成的损害是行为的直接作用。了解这种行为将有助于改进虫害管理，减少经济损失。

Beyond the gene: Linking herbivore behaviour to plant defense gene expression. This collaborative project investigates insect herbivore avoidance of plant defence mechanisms. Our project is novel because it integrates changes in the plant at a number of different levels and links them to insect foraging behaviour. Researchers assume that insects respond to plant defences by changing their foraging behaviour. This has not been tested directly. We use the genetically well characterised plant Arabidopsis and the world-wide pest Helicoverpa (heliothis) as a model system. Damage caused to crops by insect herbivores is a direct function of behaviour. Understanding this behaviour will lead to improved pest management and reduced economic losses.