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Relationship between the honeydew of mealy bugs and the growth of Phlebopus portentosus.


ABSTRACT:

Background

Phlebopus portentosus and mealy bugs form a fungus-insect gall on the roots of host plants. The fungus and mealy bugs benefit mutually through the gall, which is the key link in the nutritional mechanism of P. portentosus. The cavity of the fungus-insect gall provides an ideal shelter for mealy bugs survival and reproduction, but how does P. portentosus benefit from this symbiotic relationship?

Methodology and results

Anatomical examination of fungus-insect galls revealed that one or more mealy bugs of different generations were living inside the galls. The mealy bug's mouthpart could penetrate through the mycelium layer of the inside of the gall and suck plant juice from the host plant root. Mealy bugs excreted honeydew inside or outside the galls. The results of both honeydew agar medium and quartz tests showed that the honeydew can attract and promote the mycelial growth of P. portentosus. A test of the relationship between the honeydew and the formation of the fungus-insect gall showed that honeydew promoted gall formation.

Conclusions

All experimental results in this study show that the honeydew secreted by mealy bugs can attract and promote the mycelial growth of P. portentosus, forming a fungus-insect gall, because mealy bugs' honeydew is rich in amino acids and sugars.

SUBMITTER: Fang YW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7292412 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Relationship between the honeydew of mealy bugs and the growth of Phlebopus portentosus.

Fang Yi-Wei YW   Wang Wen-Bing WB   He Ming-Xia MX   Xu Xin-Jing XJ   Gao Feng F   Liu Jing J   Yang Tian-Wei TW   Cao Yang Y   Yang Tao T   Wang Yun Y   Zhang Chun-Xia CX  

PloS one 20200612 6


<h4>Background</h4>Phlebopus portentosus and mealy bugs form a fungus-insect gall on the roots of host plants. The fungus and mealy bugs benefit mutually through the gall, which is the key link in the nutritional mechanism of P. portentosus. The cavity of the fungus-insect gall provides an ideal shelter for mealy bugs survival and reproduction, but how does P. portentosus benefit from this symbiotic relationship?<h4>Methodology and results</h4>Anatomical examination of fungus-insect galls reveal  ...[more]

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