Induced defenses of Veronica spicata: Variability in herbivore-induced volatile organic compounds

•We measured induced volatile organic compounds emitted by Veronica spicata.•Melitaea cinxia feeding and oviposition induced different compounds.•Increase of terpenoids and green leaf volatiles was associated with larval feeding.•Increase of two ketones was associated with oviposition.•Oviposition a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phytochemistry letters 2013-11, Vol.6 (4), p.653-656
Main Authors: Pinto-Zevallos, Delia M., Hellén, Heidi, Hakola, Hannele, van Nouhuys, Saskya, Holopainen, Jarmo K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
butterflies
ecophysiology
Herbivore-induced VOCs
herbivores
Indirect defence
ketones
larvae
leaves
Melitaea cinxia
oviposition
parasitoids
predators
terpenoids
Veronica
Veronica spicata
volatile organic compounds
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Summary:•We measured induced volatile organic compounds emitted by Veronica spicata.•Melitaea cinxia feeding and oviposition induced different compounds.•Increase of terpenoids and green leaf volatiles was associated with larval feeding.•Increase of two ketones was associated with oviposition.•Oviposition also resulted in suppression of green leaf volatiles. Plants release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that have many eco-physiological functions. Induction of plant VOCs is known to occur upon herbivory. Herbivore-induced VOCs are involved in the attraction of predators and parasitoids, a phenomenon known as an indirect defense of plants. We measured the VOC profiles of the wild species Veronica spicata with and without larval feeding and oviposition by the specialist butterfly Melitaea cinxia. V. spicata showed great plasticity when deploying indirect defences. The induction of several ubiquitous terpenoids and green leaf volatiles (GLVs) was associated with larval feeding, whereas the increase of two ketones, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one and t-geranylacetone and the suppression of GLVs were associated with oviposition by the butterfly.
ISSN:1874-3900
1876-7486
DOI:10.1016/j.phytol.2013.08.015