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Plant responses to multiple antagonists are mediated by order of attack and phytohormone crosstalk
  • +2
  • Saumik Basu,
  • Robert Clark,
  • Sayanta Bera,
  • Clare Cateel,
  • David Crowder
Saumik Basu
Washington State University

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Robert Clark
Washington State University
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Sayanta Bera
Cornell University
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Clare Cateel
Cornell University
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David Crowder
Washington State University
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Abstract

Plants are often attacked by multiple antagonists, and traits of the attacking organisms, and their order of arrival onto hosts, may affect plant defenses. However, few studies have assessed how multiple antagonists, and varying attack order, affect plant defense or nutrition. To address this, we assessed defensive and nutritional responses of Pisum sativum plants after attack by a vector herbivore (Acrythosiphon pisum), a non-vector herbivore (Sitona lineatus), and a pathogen (Pea enation mosaic virus, PEMV). We show PEMV-infectious A. pisum induced several pathogen-specific plant defense signals, but these defenses were inhibited when S. lineatus was present in peas infected with PEMV. In contrast, feeding by S. lineatus induced anti-herbivore defense signals, but these defenses were enhanced by PEMV. Sitona lineatus also increased abundance of plant amino acids, but only when they attacked after PEMV-infectious A. pisum. Our results suggest that diverse communities of biotic antagonists alter defense and nutritional traits of plants through complex pathways that depend on the identity of attackers and their order of arrival onto hosts. Moreover, we show interactions among a group of biotic stressors can vary along a spectrum from antagonism to enhancement/synergism based on the identity and order of attackers, and these interactions are mediated by a multitude of phytohormone pathways.
17 Mar 2021Submitted to Molecular Ecology
18 Mar 2021Submission Checks Completed
18 Mar 2021Assigned to Editor
07 Apr 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
08 May 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Jun 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
19 Jul 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Jul 20211st Revision Received
28 Jul 2021Editorial Decision: Accept