Induced Resistance Against Herbivorous Spider Mite Through Exposure of Herbivore Induced Plant Volatiles in Lima Bean

Abstract

Plants emit various kinds of volatile compounds after herbivore attack. In lima bean plants, it was known that an intact plant neighboring to an herbivore-damaged plant could induce some defense genes. It implies the existence of plant-plant interaction through herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPV). In this study, we observed induction of defense response against an herbivore, two-spotted spider mite, in HIPV exposed healthy plant. At first, we constructed a system of volatile exposure with air-flow. Secondly, we confirmed the induction of one of the defense genes, chitinase. Thirdly, we showed the decrease of the number of offspring laid on the HIPV exposed plant. We also observed slight decrease of proteins essential for photosynthesis such as oxygen evolving enhancer and ATPase. From these results, we concluded that the healthy plants neighboring to herbivore-damaged plants increased the resistance against the mite damage through HIPV perception and subsequent induction of the defense responses.