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Testing the Joint Effects Hypothesis of Elemental Defense using Spodoptera Exigua

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Abstract

Metal hyperaccumulation may be an elemental defense, in which high concentrations of a metal in plant tissues decrease herbivore survival or growth rate. The Joint Effects Hypothesis suggests that a combination of metals, or a combination of a metal with an organic compound, may have an enhanced defensive effect. The enhancement may be additive or synergistic: in either case the concentration of a particular metal necessary to provide a defensive benefit for the plant is lowered. We tested the Joint Effects Hypothesis using Spodoptera exigua (beet armyworm) neonates fed artificial diets. Metal + metal experiments utilized diets amended with metal pairs, using four metals commonly hyperaccumulated by plants (Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn). We also conducted metal + organic compound experiments, pairing each metal with nicotine, mustard seed powder, or tannic acid. We tested for joint effects using both lethal (LC20 levels) and sublethal concentrations (10–25 % reduced larval weight) of the chemicals tested. For all experiments, either additive or synergistic effects were found. Of the metal + metal pairs tested, three (Co + Cu, Cu + Zn, and Ni + Zn) were synergistic in lethal concentration tests and only Co + Cu was synergistic in sublethal tests. For metal + organic combination lethal tests, synergism occurred for all combinations except for Co or Ni + nicotine, Ni + mustard seed powder, and Zn + nicotine. For sublethal tests, Zn + all three organic chemicals, Co + mustard seed powder or tannic acid, and Cu + nicotine, were synergistic. These results support the Joint Effects Hypothesis, suggesting that metals combined with other metals or organic compounds may be more effective against herbivores than individual metals.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station Project No. ALA021-1-09008.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brookstone School, Columbus, GA, USA

    Dorothy J. Cheruiyot

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA

    Robert S. Boyd

  3. Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO, USA

    William Moar

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  1. Dorothy J. Cheruiyot
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  2. Robert S. Boyd
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  3. William Moar
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Correspondence to Robert S. Boyd.

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Cheruiyot, D.J., Boyd, R.S. & Moar, W. Testing the Joint Effects Hypothesis of Elemental Defense using Spodoptera Exigua . J Chem Ecol 41, 168–177 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-015-0553-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-015-0553-2

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