Bean Plant Uses Leaf Receptor to Recruit Wasps Against Caterpillars
A receptor in common bean plant leaves detects caterpillar damage and triggers release of a chemical signal. The signal attracts predatory wasps that feed on the caterpillars. The finding comes from a study published in Science Advances.
recipegirl.comCommon bean plants respond to caterpillar feeding by activating a receptor located in their leaves. The receptor initiates production of a volatile compound that travels through the air and draws predatory wasps to the damaged plants. The wasps lay eggs inside the caterpillars, reducing the number of pests that continue feeding on the crop.
Researchers measured higher wasp recruitment on plants with the functional receptor compared with plants lacking it.
Experiments compared wasp attraction between intact plants and plants whose receptor gene had been silenced. Wasps arrived more quickly and in greater numbers at plants that retained the receptor. The same tests showed that silencing the receptor did not affect other defensive responses such as direct toxin production.
The results indicate that the receptor acts specifically in the indirect defense pathway that relies on natural enemies of herbivores.
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