Herbivory by a phloem-feeding insect inhibits floral volatile production

Pareja, M., Qvarfordt, E., Webster, B., Mayon, P., Pickett, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8386-3770, Birkett, M. and Glinwood, R. 2012. Herbivory by a phloem-feeding insect inhibits floral volatile production. PLoS ONE 7 (2) , e31971. 10.1371/journal.pone.0031971

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Abstract

There is extensive knowledge on the effects of insect herbivory on volatile emission from vegetative tissue, but little is known about its impact on floral volatiles. We show that herbivory by phloem-feeding aphids inhibits floral volatile emission in white mustard Sinapis alba measured by gas chromatographic analysis of headspace volatiles. The effect of the Brassica specialist aphid Lipaphis erysimi was stronger than the generalist aphid Myzus persicae and feeding by chewing larvae of the moth Plutella xylostella caused no reduction in floral volatile emission. Field observations showed no effect of L. erysimi-mediated floral volatile emission on the total number of flower visits by pollinators. Olfactory bioassays suggested that although two aphid natural enemies could detect aphid inhibition of floral volatiles, their olfactory orientation to infested plants was not disrupted. This is the first demonstration that phloem-feeding herbivory can affect floral volatile emission, and that the outcome of interaction between herbivory and floral chemistry may differ depending on the herbivore's feeding mode and degree of specialisation. The findings provide new insights into interactions between insect herbivores and plant chemistry.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Chemistry
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
ISSN:	1932-6203
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	5 February 2026
Date of Acceptance:	20 January 2012
Last Modified:	05 Feb 2026 10:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/184421

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