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The effects of a plant defence priming compound, β-aminobutyric acid, on multitrophic interactions with an insect herbivore and a hymenopterous parasitoid

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Abstract

Biocontrol of aphids by natural enemies is utilized in many organic and integrated pest management schemes. β-aminobutyric acid (BABA), a non-protein amino acid, is a plant defence primer that suppresses growth of some insect herbivores when applied as a root drench. This investigation examined how applying BABA to host plants via the roots may impact on a parasitoid wasp of aphids. Female Aphidius ervi (Haliday) did not discriminate against pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)) reared on BABA-treated beans (Vicia faba L.) or show any modified responses to volatiles released from BABA-treated plants. BABA reduced the size of emerging wasps, primarily by inhibiting the growth of the host aphid. Metabolomic analysis revealed BABA in both aphids and emergent wasps indicating some potential for direct physiological inhibition to have occurred. Survival of the parasitoids was only reduced at doses of BABA likely to produce phytotoxic effects in many plant species, thus there may be potential to incorporate plant defence primers like BABA into integrated pest management practices. However, the precise mechanisms of BABA-inhibition of insects still require elucidation.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded via a grant from the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and [1H]-NMR profiling was carried out by the BBSRC-funded (MET20482) MeT-RO metabolomics centre, at Rothamsted Research who also receive grant-aided support from BBSRC. We acknowledge the assistance of Dr. John Baker in collecting the NMR data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Simon Hodge & Glen Powell

  2. National Centre for Plant and Microbial Metabolomics, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ, UK

    Jane L. Ward, Aimee M. Galster & Michael H. Beale

  3. Division of Biology, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji

    Simon Hodge

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  1. Simon Hodge
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Correspondence to Simon Hodge.

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Hodge, S., Ward, J.L., Galster, A.M. et al. The effects of a plant defence priming compound, β-aminobutyric acid, on multitrophic interactions with an insect herbivore and a hymenopterous parasitoid. BioControl 56, 699–711 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-011-9344-z

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