Microbiota of pest insect Nezara viridula mediate detoxification and plant defense repression

The Southern green shield bug, Nezara viridula, is an invasive piercing and sucking pest insect that feeds on crop plants and poses a threat to global food production. Given that insects are known to live in a close relationship with microorganisms, our study provides insights into the community com...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The ISME Journal 2024-01, Vol.18 (1)
Main Authors: Coolen, Silvia, Rogowska-van der Molen, Magda A, Kwakernaak, Ineke, van Pelt, Johan A, Postma, Jelle L, van Alen, Theo, Jansen, Robert S, Welte, Cornelia U
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Heteroptera - microbiology
Inactivation, Metabolic
Microbiota
Nitro Compounds - metabolism
Original
Plant Defense Against Herbivory
Propionates - metabolism
Salivary Glands - microbiology
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Summary:The Southern green shield bug, Nezara viridula, is an invasive piercing and sucking pest insect that feeds on crop plants and poses a threat to global food production. Given that insects are known to live in a close relationship with microorganisms, our study provides insights into the community composition and function of the N. viridula-associated microbiota and its effect on host-plant interactions. We discovered that N. viridula hosts both vertically and horizontally transmitted microbiota throughout different developmental stages and their salivary glands harbor a thriving microbial community that is transmitted to the plant while feeding. The N. viridula microbiota was shown to aid its host with the detoxification of a plant metabolite, namely 3-nitropropionic acid, and repression of host plant defenses. Our results demonstrate that the N. viridula-associated microbiota plays an important role in interactions between insects and plants and could therefore be considered a valuable target for the development of sustainable pest control strategies.
ISSN:1751-7362
1751-7370
1751-7370
DOI:10.1093/ismejo/wrae097