Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug
Plant–animal interactions are not isolated pairwise relationships but are always accompanied by diverse assemblages of microbes. Additional to direct effects of microorganisms on their hosts, recent investigations demonstrated that bacteria associated with plants can modify the behavior of organisms...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Polish Botanical Society
2017-03-01
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| Series: | Acta Agrobotanica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/aa/article/view/6863 |
| _version_ | 1811269886698061824 |
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| author | Birte Peters Manfred Türke Robert R. Junker |
| author_facet | Birte Peters Manfred Türke Robert R. Junker |
| author_sort | Birte Peters |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plant–animal interactions are not isolated pairwise relationships but are always accompanied by diverse assemblages of microbes. Additional to direct effects of microorganisms on their hosts, recent investigations demonstrated that bacteria associated with plants can modify the behavior of organisms of higher trophic levels. However, in the context of herbivory, functions of non-phytopathogenic bacteria colonizing leaf surfaces remain understudied. This study showed that naturally occurring epiphytic bacteria affect the feeding behavior of a generalist herbivore. Epiphytic bacteria isolated from leaves of Lactuca sativa var. capitata were screened for their potential to influence feeding choices of the slug Arion vulgaris. Cultivated bacteria were inoculated in artificial food substrates or on sterile leaves of gnotobiotic lettuce plants and were offered to slugs in different behavioral bioassays. A large proportion of bacterial strains tested induced behavioral alterations in the feeding choices of slugs. Behavioral responses of slugs were further modified by antibiotic treatment of slugs prior to choice tests indicating that both bacteria associated with plants and animals affect plant–animal interactions. Our results emphasize the important role of bacteria in plant–animal interactions and suggest a prominent role of bacteria in herbivory in natural, horticultural, and agricultural systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:51:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b203f0494df641cd858a15ea3df758e5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2300-357X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:51:03Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | Polish Botanical Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Agrobotanica |
| spelling | doaj.art-b203f0494df641cd858a15ea3df758e52022-12-22T03:15:30ZengPolish Botanical SocietyActa Agrobotanica2300-357X2017-03-0170110.5586/aa.17086790Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slugBirte Peters0Manfred Türke1Robert R. Junker2Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, 5020 SalzburgGerman Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle–Jena–Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig; 3 Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 21, 04103 LeipzigDepartment of Ecology and Evolution, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstr. 34, 5020 SalzburgPlant–animal interactions are not isolated pairwise relationships but are always accompanied by diverse assemblages of microbes. Additional to direct effects of microorganisms on their hosts, recent investigations demonstrated that bacteria associated with plants can modify the behavior of organisms of higher trophic levels. However, in the context of herbivory, functions of non-phytopathogenic bacteria colonizing leaf surfaces remain understudied. This study showed that naturally occurring epiphytic bacteria affect the feeding behavior of a generalist herbivore. Epiphytic bacteria isolated from leaves of Lactuca sativa var. capitata were screened for their potential to influence feeding choices of the slug Arion vulgaris. Cultivated bacteria were inoculated in artificial food substrates or on sterile leaves of gnotobiotic lettuce plants and were offered to slugs in different behavioral bioassays. A large proportion of bacterial strains tested induced behavioral alterations in the feeding choices of slugs. Behavioral responses of slugs were further modified by antibiotic treatment of slugs prior to choice tests indicating that both bacteria associated with plants and animals affect plant–animal interactions. Our results emphasize the important role of bacteria in plant–animal interactions and suggest a prominent role of bacteria in herbivory in natural, horticultural, and agricultural systems.https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/aa/article/view/6863Arion vulgarisdual choice experimentherbivorymicroorganismsplant–bacteria–animal interactions |
| spellingShingle | Birte Peters Manfred Türke Robert R. Junker Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug Acta Agrobotanica Arion vulgaris dual choice experiment herbivory microorganisms plant–bacteria–animal interactions |
| title | Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug |
| title_full | Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug |
| title_fullStr | Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug |
| title_short | Epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug |
| title_sort | epiphytic bacteria on lettuce affect the feeding behavior of an invasive pest slug |
| topic | Arion vulgaris dual choice experiment herbivory microorganisms plant–bacteria–animal interactions |
| url | https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/aa/article/view/6863 |
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