Florivory by a floriphilic katydid, Phaneroptera brevis, induces changes in a leaf trait in Lantana camara. (27th March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Goh, Cherry Pei Shan; Tan, Ming Kai; Tan, Hugh Tiang Wah
• Is Part Of: Ecological entomology. Volume 44:Number 4(2019)
• Page Start: 577
• Page End: 580
• Publication Date: 2019-03-27
• Subjects: herbivory -- induced plant response -- insect–plant interaction -- optimal defence theory -- orthoptera -- plant traits; Insects -- Ecology -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.7
• DOI: 10.1111/een.12734
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0307-6946

Abstract

Abstract : 1. Plants can induce a response when they are attacked by herbivores. Although the induction of responses by herbivory in both flowers and leaves is relatively well studied, whether florivory (feeding of flowers) can also induce responses in flowers and leaves is less well explored and there are still unanswered questions. These include whether plants exhibit different levels of induced responses depending on the length of exposure to the florivores. 2. To address this knowledge gap, this study used a tropical floriphilic katydid, Phaneroptera brevis, and its non‐native food plant, Lantana camara . Nursery experiments were performed in which dry matter content and anthocyanin concentration of the flower (corolla and stamens), leaf dry matter content, and leaf blade punch resistance were measured at three time phases before and after exposing the plant to the katydid individuals for 0–7 days. 3. It was demonstrated that increasing the length (days) of exposure to the katydid individual leads to higher levels of induced plant response (leaf blade punch resistance), but only in the leaves. It was also shown that higher levels of induced plant response owing to the increase in the length of exposure to the katydid individual was not observed beyond the first set of leaves developed after the exposure. 4. These results address the knowledge gap and show that plants can exhibit different levels of induced responses depending on the length of exposure to florivores. This study thus highlights the far‐reaching importance of florivory on plants. Abstract : The present study corroborates previous studies that florivory can indeed induce responses in other plant parts. Increasing the length of exposure to the P. brevis katydid individual leads to higher levels of induced plant response in L. camara . Induced responses in the flowers were not observed, despite subjecting the plants to florivory.