Plant–Insect Interactions: Double-Dating Associated Insect and Plant Lineages Reveals Asynchronous Radiations

Plant-insect interactions: double-dating associated insect and plant lineages reveals asynchronous radiations.

An increasing number of plant-insect studies using phylogenetic analysis suggest that cospeciation events are rare in plant-insect systems. Instead, nonrandom patterns of phylogenetic congruence are produced by phylogenetically conserved host switching (to related plants) or tracking of particular resources or traits (e.g., chemical). The dominance of host switching in many phytophagous insect ...

Plant polyploidy and insect/plant interactions.

We used flow cytometry and extensive geographic surveys of herbivore attack to test whether repeated evolution of autotetraploidy in the perennial herb Heuchera grossulariifolia Rydb. (Saxifragaceae) has created evolutionary barriers to attack by the specialist moth herbivore Greya politella (Prodoxidae). We found that the moth has colonized tetraploid as well as diploid populations, has coloni...

Plant–insect Interactions and Pollution

Cyanogenic glucosides and plant-insect interactions.

Cyanogenic glucosides are phytoanticipins known to be present in more than 2500 plant species. They are considered to have an important role in plant defense against herbivores due to bitter taste and release of toxic hydrogen cyanide upon tissue disruption. Some specialized herbivores, especially insects, preferentially feed on cyanogenic plants. Such herbivores have acquired the ability to me...

PLANT–MICROBE–INSECT INTERACTIONS: Cytokinins as key regulators in plant–microbe–insect interactions: connecting plant growth and defence

David Giron*, Enric Frago, Ga€ elle Glevarec, Corn e M. J. Pieterse and Marcel Dicke Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l’Insecte, UMR 7261, CNRS – Universit e Franc ois-Rabelais, Tours, France; Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS UK; Biomol ecules et Biotechnologies V eg etales, EA 2106 Universit e Franc ois-Rabelais, Tours, France; Plant-Microb...