Aphid Resistance: An Overlooked Ecological Dimension of Nonstructural Carbohydrates in Cereals

Nonstructural carbohydrates in cereals have been widely investigated from physiological, genetic, and breeding perspectives. Nonstructural carbohydrates may contribute to grain filling, but correlations with yield are inconsistent and sometimes negative. Here we ask if there are hidden functions of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in plant science 2020-06, Vol.11, p.937-937
Main Authors: Sadras, Victor O, Fereres, Elias, Borrás, Lucas, Garzo, Elisa, Moreno, Aranzazu, Araus, Jose Luis, Fereres, Alberto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
cereal
grain yield (GY)
labile carbohydrates
osmotic potential (OP)
Plant Science
trade-off
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Summary:Nonstructural carbohydrates in cereals have been widely investigated from physiological, genetic, and breeding perspectives. Nonstructural carbohydrates may contribute to grain filling, but correlations with yield are inconsistent and sometimes negative. Here we ask if there are hidden functions of nonstructural carbohydrates, advance an ecological dimension to this question, and speculate that high concentration of nonstructural carbohydrates may challenge the osmotic homeostasis of aphids, thus providing a working hypothesis that connects nonstructural carbohydrates with aphid resistance in cereals. In the light of this proposition, the amount and concentration of nonstructural carbohydrates should be regarded as functionally different traits, with amount relevant to the carbon economy of the crop and concentration playing an osmotic role. We conclude with suggestions for experiments to test our hypothesis.
ISSN:1664-462X
1664-462X
DOI:10.3389/fpls.2020.00937