Effects of single or combined water deficit and aphid attack on tomato volatile organic compound (VOC) emission and plant-plant communication

• Published in: Environmental and experimental botany 2018-09, Vol.153, p.54-62
• Main Authors: Catola, Stefano, Centritto, Mauro, Cascone, Pasquale, Ranieri, Annamaria, Loreto, Francesco, Calamai, Luca, Balestrini, Raffaella, Guerrieri, Emilio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Aphidius ervi; Biotic stress; Macrosiphum euphorbiae; MeSA; Solanum lycopersicum
• ISSN: 0098-8472; 1873-7307
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2018.05.001

•Tomato responses to water deficit/aphid attack (alone or combined) were evaluated.•Combined biotic and abiotic stresses may have an additive impact on VOC emission.•VOC emitted by stressed plants induced VOC emission in unstressed receivers.•An increase in attraction of parasitic wasps in receivers was detected.•Results will be useful for insect pest management under water deficit conditions. Plants release a broad spectrum of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The composition of the released VOC blend is dependent on the physiological status and, consequently, is affected by biotic and abiotic stresses. Stress-related VOCs can be perceived by different organisms, including natural enemies of herbivores and neighboring plants. Here, the responses of tomato plants (emitters) to single or combined abiotic (water stress) and biotic (aphid attack) stresses, and the effect of VOC released by emitters on neighboring unstressed plants (receivers), have been investigated. Emissions of α-pinene and methyl salicylate from plants exposed to single or combined stress, and of camphene from plants exposed to water or combined stress were significantly higher than in unstressed plants. In receivers, only the release of methyl salicylate increased when companion emitters were stressed. The expression of genes related to VOC biosynthesis and plant defense responses was unaffected or declined in water-stressed emitters, and was generally higher in receivers than in emitters. The gene coding for methyl salicylate biosynthesis was particularly active in aphid-attacked emitters and in receivers that were conditioned by the infested emitters. In addition, VOCs emitted by stressed plants induce VOC emission in unstressed receivers, and this increases attraction of parasitic wasps, which may improve protection against aphid attacks under conditions of reduced water availability.