Herbivory-induced green leaf volatiles increase plant performance through jasmonate-dependent plant–soil feedbacks

Abstract

Plants influence each other chemically by releasing leaf volatiles and root exudates, but whether and how these two phenomena interact remains unknown. Here we demonstrate that volatiles that are released by herbivore-attacked leaves trigger plant–soil feedbacks, resulting in increased performance of different plant species. We show that this phenomenon is due to green leaf volatiles that induce jasmonate-dependent systemic defence signalling in receiver plants, which results in the accumulation of beneficial soil bacteria in the rhizosphere. These soil bacteria then increase plant growth and enhance plant defences. In maize, a cysteine-rich receptor-like protein kinase, ZmCRK25, is required for this effect. In four successive year-field experiments, we demonstrate that this phenomenon can suppress leaf herbivore abundance and enhance maize growth and yield. Thus, volatile-mediated plant–plant interactions trigger plant–soil feedbacks that shape plant performance across different plant species through broadly conserved defence signalling mechanisms and changes in soil microbiota. This phenomenon expands the repertoire of biologically relevant plant–plant interactions in space and time and holds promise for the sustainable intensification of agriculture.