Herbivory and jasmonate treatment affect reproductive traits in wild Lima bean, but without transgenerational effects.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

Plant responses to herbivores and their elicitors include changes in traits associated with phenology, defense, and reproduction. Induced responses by chewing herbivores are known to be hormonally mediated by the jasmonate pathway and can cascade and affect late-season seed predators and pollinators. Moreover, herbivore-induced plant responses can be transmitted to the next generation. Whether herbivore-induced transgenerational effects also apply to phenological traits is less well understood.

Methods

Here, we explored responses of wild lima bean plants (Phaseolus lunatus) to herbivory and jasmonate treatment and possible transgenerational effects of herbivore-induced early flowering. In a controlled field experiment, we exposed lima bean plants to herbivory by leaf

SUBMITTER: Bustos-Segura C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9297984 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature