How rapid is aphid-induced signal transfer between plants via common mycelial networks?

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are important plant mutualists that can connect roots of neighboring plants to form common mycelial networks

From:: Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published: 26 July 2013

Country:: Kenya and Uganda
Document Type:: Journal Article
Theme:: Agriculture
Authors:: Babikova, Z, Johnson, D, Bruce, T, Pickett, J and Gilbert, L

Abstract

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are important plant mutualists that can connect roots of neighboring plants to form common mycelial networks. A recent study demonstrated that these networks can act as conduits for aphid-induced signals between plants, activating chemical defenses in uninfested neighboring plants so that they become unattractive to aphids but attractive to their enemies (parasitoids). The benefit to the neighboring plants will increase if the signal speed is rapid, enabling them to respond before aphids attack. Here, we determine the speed of aphid-induced signal transfer between plants infested with aphids (“donor”) and neighboring aphid-free plants that were either connected or unconnected to the donor via a common mycelial network. Induced changes in plant volatiles from neighbors connected to donors started within 24 h of aphid infestation of donors. This demonstrates a rapid signal, implying potential benefit to plants receiving the signal, and raises intriguing ecological and evolutionary questions.

This is a publication arising from the Sustainable Crop production for International Development (SCPRID) programme.

Citation

Babikova Z, Johnson D, Bruce T, Pickett J, Gilbert L (2013). How rapid is aphid-induced signal transfer between plants via common mycelial networks? Commun Integr Biol. 6(6):e25904.