Alicia Koßmann, Bruna Czarnobai de Jorge, Jannicke Gallinger, Astrid Eben, Jürgen Gross
{"title":"Feeding-induced changes in resource quality and volatile pattern of green beans are associated with host preference in Halyomorpha halys","authors":"Alicia Koßmann, Bruna Czarnobai de Jorge, Jannicke Gallinger, Astrid Eben, Jürgen Gross","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10284-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10284-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The brown marmorated stink bug, <i>Halyomorpha halys</i> (Stål), is an invasive, polyphagous pest insect with a broad host range of various cultivated plants, including several legumes such as green bean (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>). The bugs feed on the bean pods and cause visible damages to the plant tissue. The feeding-induced chemical changes in fruits, including potential alterations in resource quality and volatile emissions, and their impact on insect’s behaviour, remain unclear. In this study, bush bean pods were used as a model system to investigate these effects after a three – day bug feeding period. Macronutrient analyses revealed a reduction in sugars and lipids after bug infestation, while protein content was not affected. Different sugars and sugar derivates, organic acids, and amino acids decreased due to the feeding activity. Furthermore, these nutrient changes were associated with significant quantitative and qualitative changes in the VOC profiles of infested beans. In addition, the bugs’ preference for the differently treated beans and for beans presented together with synthetic volatiles was assessed. The bugs showed a preference for uninfested beans over infested beans. The addition of β-cedrene, a compound that was induced by the feeding of <i>H. halys</i>, led to an avoidance of beans presented with this compound. These results suggest that feeding-induced changes in bean chemistry, including volatile emission may provide cues that enable insects to detect and avoid infested food sources. This study enhances our understanding of insect-plant interactions and host selection mechanisms in a polyphagous insect.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-026-10284-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148927061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of an integrated semiochemical trapping system using a binary blend for Euplatypus parallelus in rubber plantations","authors":"Jiahao Xu, Xufeng Zhang, Yang Liu, Zheyuan Xu, Xiang Zhou, Jixing Guo","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10285-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10285-y","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Euplatypus parallelus</i> is an invasive ambrosia beetle causing severe economic damage to rubber plantations across tropical southern China. However, an integrated trapping system combining effective attractants and optimised deployment remains lacking. In a field programme in Danzhou, Hainan, China, we screened seven volatile compounds across eight concentrations in 75% ethanol and evaluated nine binary plant-volatile blends (M1–M9). Trap height, inter-trap spacing, lure longevity, and diurnal flight rhythm were further assessed using custom cross-vane funnel traps. Hexyl acetate and β-ionone were the most active single compounds, and their ethanol-based binary blend (M3) outperformed every single compound and all other blends. Microporous aluminium foil sachets (6.6 mm<sup>2</sup> window) maintained effective attraction for at least 12 days. Optimal deployment was 2.0 m height and 15 m spacing, and flight activity was bimodal (16:00–20:00 and 04:00–08:00). This system provides a practical, cost-effective tool for monitoring and integrated pest management of <i>E. parallelus</i> in rubber plantations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148926907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Differential host choices of Helicoverpa armigera and H. assulta to tomato","authors":"Jie-Wen Mao, Qian-Wen Luo, Shao-Ting Duan, Meng-Hao Zhang, Xiao-Guang Liu, Xian-Ru Guo, Yan-Min Liu, Wei-Zheng Li","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10282-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10282-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The specialist <i>Helicoverpa assulta</i> and the generalist <i>Helicoverpa armigera</i> are closely related species in Noctuidae. To elucidate the chemical basis underlying their differential oviposition responses to tomato, we compared the oviposition and walking responses of adult females and larvae of both species to tomato volatiles as well as derived synthetic blends. Dichloromethane and hexane extracts of tomato leaves deterred oviposition by <i>H. assulta</i> females. In contrast, all three extracts significantly attracted oviposition by <i>H. armigera</i> females. The components of the dichloromethane extract of tomato leaves were classified according to biosynthetic pathways (acetylmalonate, acetyl‑mevalonate, and shikimate pathways), and four blends were prepared based on their relative percentages in the extract: Blend 1 (green leaf volatiles), Blend 2 (aromatic compounds), Blend 3 (terpenoids), and Blend 4 (the full blend, contained all components that contained in the Blends 1 ~ 3). All blends significantly deterred oviposition by <i>H. assulta</i> females, with Blend 4 being the most effective. Only Blends 2 and 3 significantly attracted oviposition by <i>H. armigera</i> females. Larval walking bioassays on a locomotion compensator indicat that the differential host use is attributable to adult oviposition preference, rather than to larval olfactory discrimination between host and non-host volatiles. In field trials, the full blend effectively reduced egg deposition by <i>H. assulta</i> rather than <i>H. armigera</i> on tobacco plants. All together, the oviposition deterrence of <i>H. assulta</i> by tomato appears to be regulated by a “partial blend” of compounds commonly found across the plant kingdom, not by tomato-specific unique components.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148928031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Entomopathogenic fungi in rice agroecosystems: multitrophic interactions and implications for arthropod management","authors":"Parveen Saba, Subramanian Jeyarani, Pagalahalli Sankaran Shanmugam, N. Bharathi, Sahu Kumar Pramod, Saminathan Nandha, Rajendran Yamini","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10275-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10275-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rice is a staple crop that sustains more than half of the global population. However, increasing pressure from insect pests combined with the development of insecticide resistance also poses significant challenges to yield stability and environmental sustainability. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are an alternative biological pest control approach, which are insect pathogens and associate with plants and the rhizosphere. However, studies on EPF in rice are still fragmented, and studies on species diversity, strain-level virulence, endophytism or molecular determinants are rarely integrated across ecological scales. This has prevented the translation of laboratory efficacy to robust field performance and the development of rice-specific, systems-level frameworks. This review synthesizes current information on EPF diversity in rice agroecosystems, their functional ecology in the soil-plant-insect compartments and the molecular mechanisms supporting host infection, plant colonisation and defence modulation. Particular emphasis is given to multitrophic and volatile-mediated interactions, EPF endophytic behaviours and their effects on plant physiology, as well as the roles of fungal secondary metabolites in pest suppression and compatibility within integrated pest management programs. In this instance, establish the conditions under which EPF can reliably provide resilient protection of rice, linking molecular pathways to population and landscape-scale outcomes in flooded paddy environments. The review concludes with the research priorities and technological innovations needed to operationalize EPF-based strategies as central elements of climate-smart, sustainable rice production systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838165","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Genesis Luisana Romero Zambrano, Carlo Massimo Pozzi, Stine Kramer Jacobsen
{"title":"Target and side effects of Ascophyllum nodosum in a plant-herbivore-parasitoid system","authors":"Genesis Luisana Romero Zambrano, Carlo Massimo Pozzi, Stine Kramer Jacobsen","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10281-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10281-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The beneficial effects of biostimulants derived from the alga <i>Ascophyllum nodosum</i> have been documented for a wide variety of plant species. However, crops are part of complex agroecosystems, where different trophic levels interact and affect crop development. The present study aimed to assess the potential impact of <i>A. nodosum</i> in a tritrophic system consisting of the faba bean crop (<i>Vicia faba</i>,<i> L.)</i>, the herbivore <i>Aphis fabae</i>, and its parasitoid <i>Aphidius matricariae</i>, in a laboratory setup. The experiment, conducted on whole plants in confined cages, included six treatments combining the presence or absence of the algae extract, herbivores, and parasitoids to assess the effects of their interactions. The target effect of the algae extract on plant growth and development was evaluated by measuring plant height, leaf number, leaf area, and dry weight. Possible side effects of the extract were assessed using aphid population development and parasitoid mummy counts and weights. Under the tested conditions, the application of <i>A. nodosum</i> extract did not affect any of the variables used as indicators of <i>V. faba</i> growth and development, i.e. no measurable impact on the plant under normal conditions or in the presence of a biotic stressor. The extract did not influence the population development of the herbivore <i>A. fabae</i>. Furthermore, its application did not impair the aphid-suppression efficacy of <i>A. matricariae</i>, nor did it alter individual mummy weight or, as preliminary observations indicate, mummy abundance. This result suggests that the algae extract and the parasitoid biological control agent evaluated can be used in combination without antagonistic interactions.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-026-10281-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838166","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Key natural plant species shape arthropod communities and support natural enemies in olive groves","authors":"Ines Abida Guidara, Ines Ksentini, Mabrouka Ghabbari, Mohieddine Ksantini, Kaouthar Grissa Lebdi","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10280-3","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10280-3","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Natural vegetation plays an important role in supporting arthropod communities and ecosystem services in olive agroecosystems. However, information on indigenous vegetation and associated arthropods in Tunisian olive groves remains scarce. This study characterized plant and arthropod assemblages in two olive groves to identify key plant species that serve as reservoirs for natural enemies. Vegetation and arthropods were sampled simultaneously from January to June in 2019 and 2021, using quadrat surveys and standardized beating techniques. A total of 22 indigenous plant species belonging to 12 botanical families and 25 arthropod families representing four functional groups were recorded. Full factorial General Linear Models showed that seasonal variation was the main driver of plant diversity, whereas the combined effect of plant species identity and season primarily shaped arthropod and natural enemy assemblages. By contrast, grove identity contributed little to the observed variation. Asteraceae was the dominant plant family and supported the richest natural enemy assemblages. G<i>lebionis coronaria</i>, <i>Senecio gallicus</i>, <i>Anacyclus clavatus</i>,<i> and Diplotaxis erucoides</i> emerged as key reservoir plants, supporting diverse predator and parasitoid assemblages, including <i>Orius</i> sp., <i>Chrysoperla carnea</i>, and <i>Eurytoma</i> spp. These findings highlight the importance of plant species composition in sustaining natural enemy communities and suggest that conserving key natural plant species may strengthen conservation biological control in Mediterranean olive groves.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148838252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Confidence M. Nape, Fikile N. Makhubu, Ntakadzeni E. Madala, Phumzile Sibisi
{"title":"Metabolic analysis of two wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars in response to Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia Kurdjumov) infestation","authors":"Confidence M. Nape, Fikile N. Makhubu, Ntakadzeni E. Madala, Phumzile Sibisi","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10274-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10274-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Wheat is one of the most widely consumed cereal grains globally and plays a critical role in food security. As a staple crop in many households, it provides essential nutrients and contributes significantly to daily caloric intake. Although wheat is attacked by multiple pests, the Russian wheat aphid (RWA), <i>Diuraphis noxia</i>, remains one of the most damaging, causing considerable yield losses. While resistance breeding has long been the preferred control strategy, newly emerging RWA biotypes have increasingly overcome previously effective resistance genes. This highlights the need for alternative approaches, with metabolomics emerging as a valuable tool for identifying metabolic biomarkers that can support faster and more effective resistance breeding. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the effect of the South African Russian wheat aphid biotype 5 (RWASA5) on the metabolic profiles of two wheat cultivars, Tugela and Tugela DN. The cultivars were infested with RWASA5 and harvested at 0, 4, 8, 24, and 48 h post-infestation, followed by untargeted liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) profiling. A total of 19 metabolites were identified, of which 12 were upregulated and 7 were downregulated. Phenolic compounds were the dominant class, with secoisolariciresinol diglucoside showing a significant increase in Tugela DN following RWASA5 infestation. Flavonoids formed the most abundant phenolic subgroup. Enriched pathways included glycerophospholipid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid metabolism. These findings indicate that RWA infestation triggers distinct metabolic shifts in wheat and provide insights into wheat–RWA interactions for crop improvement.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-026-10274-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148751218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lurdes Lepka, Amanda F. de Morais, Cacilda M. D. R. Faria, Jaíne Alves, Franciele Santos, Caroline Rech, Cristiane Nardi
{"title":"Ganoderma lucidum filtrate increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in soybean but do not elicit biological or behavioral responses in Spodoptera frugiperda","authors":"Lurdes Lepka, Amanda F. de Morais, Cacilda M. D. R. Faria, Jaíne Alves, Franciele Santos, Caroline Rech, Cristiane Nardi","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10273-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10273-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><i>Ganoderma lucidum</i> filtrates have shown promising agricultural potential due to its capacity to stimulate the production of plant defense metabolites with antimicrobial and insecticidal properties. Here, we evaluated the effects of <i>G. lucidum</i> filtrate application on the antioxidant system of soybean plants and investigated whether soybean defense responses affect the biology and host selection behavior of <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>. Different concentrations of filtrate were applied at soybean plants maintained under greenhouse conditions. After 48 h, soybean plants were infested with neonate larvae, which were allowed to develop until the pupal stage. Pupae and adults were maintained under controlled conditions for the evaluation of biological parameters. Feeding and oviposition assays were carried out under choice and no-choice conditions to evaluate host preference behavior. The antioxidant system of soybean responded to the filtrate concentrations, exhibiting variable enzymatic activity from the first through the tenth day after application. Progressive induction of the soybean antioxidant system was detected four days after filtrate application, with SOD, POD, and CAT activities increasing by up to 76.9%, even in plants treated with 5% filtrate concentrations. Similarly, during the later evaluation periods, lower filtrate concentrations continued to elicit pronounced antioxidant responses, as evidenced by the activity patterns of all three enzymes. Nevertheless, despite the activation of the plant antioxidant system, no significant differences were observed in the biological parameters of <i>S. frugiperda</i>, including development, survival, pupal weight, fecundity, and egg viability. Here, we provide the first evidence that <i>G. lucidum</i> filtrates activate soybean defense systems. Although these plant defense responses are insufficient to affect the biological and behavioral responses of <i>S. frugiperda</i>, the potential effects on other insect species warrant further investigation.</p><h3>Graphical abstract</h3><div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-026-10273-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148751141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Krzysztof Stawrakakis, Carolyn Mitchell, Beatrix Keillor, Gaynor Malloch, Lorena I. Rangel, Marlena Lembicz, Alison J. Karley
{"title":"Barley under pressure: combined effects of colonisation by the entomopathogenic fungus Akanthomyces muscarius and the bird cherry oat aphid Rhopalosiphum padi","authors":"Krzysztof Stawrakakis, Carolyn Mitchell, Beatrix Keillor, Gaynor Malloch, Lorena I. Rangel, Marlena Lembicz, Alison J. Karley","doi":"10.1007/s11829-026-10265-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11829-026-10265-2","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Entomopathogenic fungi are increasingly considered for use as biological control agents. However, their effects in tripartite systems involving plants, herbivorous insects, and endophytic fungi remain context dependent and poorly understood. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that inoculation of barley with the entomopathogenic fungus <i>Akanthomyces muscarius</i> affects the biomass of aphids feeding on the plants and influences barley seedling size at early developmental stages. Seedling apical meristems of two barley cultivars, Golden Promise (GP) and Laureate (L), were inoculated with the fungus and subsequently exposed to feeding by the bird cherry-oat aphid <i>Rhopalosiphum padi</i>. Plant dry biomass and total aphid biomass per plant were measured at the end of the experimental period. Inoculation with <i>A. muscarius</i> did not significantly reduce total aphid biomass on either barley cultivar. By contrast, fungal inoculation significantly reduced seedling dry biomass in GP, whereas no such effect was detected in L. Linear mixed-effects modelling revealed significant effects of cultivar, inoculation, and their interaction on plant biomass, indicating cultivar-dependent plant responses to fungal colonisation. Total aphid biomass was significantly affected by cultivar but showed no consistent response to fungal inoculation. This study provides a controlled evaluation of a barley-<i>A. muscarius</i>-aphid tripartite system and highlights cultivar-specific outcomes of fungal inoculation under aphid feeding pressure.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":8409,"journal":{"name":"Arthropod-Plant Interactions","volume":"20 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11829-026-10265-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148750453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}