Does infection by endophytic bacteria influence plant susceptibility to herbivory in nature?

Abstract

Host plant genotypes often interact with the genotypes of pathogenic bacteria in order to affect the susceptibility phenotype with regards to herbivory. Often specialist herbivores illicit host plant production of jasmonic acid while biotrophic pathhogens induce a response of Salicylic acid, both of which slow growth of their target. Interestingly, production of either acid blocks the pathway of the other allowing specialist fly Scaptomyza nigrita and Pseudomonas bacteria to coinfect. A common garden was set up at Emerald Lake and three genotypes of Cardamine cordifolia were collected for planting. Three strains of bacteria as well as jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and mock treatments were used to inoculate leaves prior to larval implantation to observe rate of larval growth in the host plant as an effect of treatment. The susceptibility to herbivores varied significantly among genotypes showing a plant response that did not differ significantly between JA and SA treatments, however, response to Pseudomonas syringae differed significantly among genotypes. This was most likely due to avr gene crosstalk or coronatine production induced by bacteria.

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