Empoasca leafhoppers attack wild tobacco plants in a jasmonate-dependent manner and identify jasmonate mutants in natural populations

摘要

Insect survival depends on the selection of appropriate plants to feed on, and this selection involves complex behavioral responses to complex plant traits. Within minutes after insect attack, plants begin synthesizing the hormone jasmonic acid, which orchestrates defense responses against insect herbiv-ory. Therefore, an intact jasmonic acid signaling cascade is essential for a plant's ability to survive attack in nature. Here we show that Empoasca leafhoppers feed selectively on wild tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata) plants by testing the plant's jasmonic acid signaling capacities with their piercing mouthparts. Moreover, we used these leafhoppers to identify genetic variation in jasmonic acid signaling of natural wild tobacco populations.