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Species and Hybrids: Chemical and Physical Foliar Attributes and Implications for Herbivory.

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Nahrung, H.F., Waugh, R. and Hayes, R.A. (2009) Species and Hybrids: Chemical and Physical Foliar Attributes and Implications for Herbivory. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 35 (9). pp. 1043-1053.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10886-009-9682-9

Publisher URL: http://www.springerlink.com

Abstract

Hybridization is an important biological phenomenon that can be used to understand the evolutionary process of speciation of plants and their associated pests and diseases. Interactions between hybrid plants and the herbivores of the parental taxa may be used to elucidate the various cues being used by the pests for host location or other processes. The chemical composition of plants, and their physical foliar attributes, including leaf thickness, trichome density, moisture content and specific leaf weight were compared between allopatric pure and commercial hybrid species of Corymbia, an important subtropical hardwood taxon. The leaf-eating beetle Paropsis atomaria, to which the pure taxa represented host (C. citriodora subsp. variegata) and non-host (C. torelliana) plants, was used to examine patterns of herbivory in relation to these traits. Hybrid physical foliar traits, chemical profiles, and field and laboratory beetle feeding preference, while showing some variability, were generally intermediate to those exhibited by parent taxa, thus suggesting an additive inheritance pattern. The hybrid susceptibility hypothesis was not supported by our field or laboratory studies, and there was no strong relationship between adult preference and larval performance. The most-preferred adult host was the sympatric taxon, although this species supported the lowest larval survival, while the hybrid produced significantly smaller pupae than the pure species. The results are discussed in relation to plant chemistry and physical characteristics. The findings suggest a chemical basis for host selection behavior and indicate that it may be possible to select for resistance to this insect pest in these commercially important hardwood trees.

Item Type:Article
Corporate Creators:DEEDI
Additional Information:© The State of Queensland acting through the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.
Keywords:Chemical composition; forest pests; forest trees; host preferences; hosts; hybrids; inheritance; interspecific hybridization; larvae; leaves; moisture content; pest resistance; plant composition; plant morphology; plant pests; trees; trichomes; Eucalyptus citriodora; Eucalyptus torelliana; Paropsis atomaria.
Subjects:Science > Zoology > Invertebrates > Insects
Plant pests and diseases > Individual or types of plants or trees
Plant pests and diseases > Pest control and treatment of diseases. Plant protection > Organic plant protection. Biological control
Plant culture > Propagation
Forestry
Live Archive:28 Jun 2010 05:01
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:48

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