Plant Chemical Ecology

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 6400

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: allelopathy; allelochemicals; plant kin recognition; plant–plant interactions; plant–soil interactions

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Guest Editor
Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: insect–plant interactions; herbivore-induced plant defense; defense-related signaling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Interests: root exudates and SOM dynamics; plant–microbe–soil interactions; plant functional traits and ecosystem processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hanghzou 311300, China
Interests: plant–insect interactions; the ecological function of volatile organic compounds; the molecular mechanism of plant resistance against insects

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical ecology is an intersectional discipline that covers a broad array of subjects, involving inter- and intra-specific chemical interactions mediated by secondary metabolites among organisms, as well as between organisms and environmental factors. Plants are producers and play a central role in ecosystems. There are various chemical interactions between plant and other organisms in natural and managed systems. Plant chemical ecology has provided fascinating insights into eco-evolutionary relationships and represent potential strategies for sustainable agriculture.

This Special Issue will focus on the recent advancements in the wide field of plant chemical ecology. We invite you to share your contributions on chemically mediated plant–plant, plant–insect/animal, and plant–microbe interactions. Research papers, communications, and review articles are welcome. We believe that the Special Issue is of sufficient general interest and that its publication will appeal to a more general audience, stimulating additional research into plant–organism chemical interactions.

Prof. Dr. Chui-Hua Kong
Prof. Dr. Yonggen Lou
Prof. Dr. Peng Wang
Prof. Dr. Guoxin Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • allelopathy
  • allelochemicals
  • chemical communication
  • chemical defenses
  • common mycorrhizal networks
  • kin recognition
  • herbivores
  • pathogens
  • pest management
  • signaling interactions
  • soil microorganisms
  • rhizosphere
  • root exudates
  • volatiles

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 1347 KiB  
Article
OsRCI-1-Mediated GLVs Enhance Rice Resistance to Brown Planthoppers
by Kaiming Mao, Chengzhe Li, Huacai Zhai, Yuying Wang, Yonggen Lou, Wenhua Xue and Guoxin Zhou
Plants 2024, 13(11), 1494; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111494 - 29 May 2024
Viewed by 225
Abstract
Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) play pivotal roles in plant anti-herbivore defense. This study investigated whether the rice 13-lipoxygense gene OsRCI-1 is involved in GLV production and plant defense in rice. The overexpression of OsRCI-1 (oeRCI lines) in rice resulted in increased wound-induced [...] Read more.
Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) play pivotal roles in plant anti-herbivore defense. This study investigated whether the rice 13-lipoxygense gene OsRCI-1 is involved in GLV production and plant defense in rice. The overexpression of OsRCI-1 (oeRCI lines) in rice resulted in increased wound-induced levels of two prominent GLVs, cis-3-hexen-1-ol and cis-3-hexenal. In a previous study, we found that the overexpression of OsRCI-1 reduced the colonization by the rice brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens) but increased the attractiveness to the egg parasitoid Anagrus nilaparvatae compared to wild-type (WT) plants. This study found that when cis-3-hexen-1-ol, but not cis-3-hexenal, was added to WT plants, it could change the BPH’s colonization preference, i.e., more BPHs preferred to colonize the oeRCI lines. The exogenous application of cis-3-hexen-1-ol or cis-3-hexenal to BPH-infested WT plants could weaken or overturn the preference of A. nilaparvatae for oeRCI lines. However, field experiments revealed that only cis-3-hexenal was attractive to the parasitoid and increased the parasitism rates of BPH eggs. These results indicate that OsRCI-1 is involved in rice GLV production and therefore modulates both direct and indirect defense in rice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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18 pages, 6306 KiB  
Article
Primary Metabolic Response of Aristolochia contorta to Simulated Specialist Herbivory under Elevated CO2 Conditions
by Hyeon Jin Jeong, Bo Eun Nam, Se Jong Jeong, Gisuk Lee, Sang-Gyu Kim and Jae Geun Kim
Plants 2024, 13(11), 1456; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13111456 - 24 May 2024
Viewed by 289
Abstract
This study explores how elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels affects the growth and defense mechanisms of plants. We focused on Aristolochia contorta Bunge (Aristolochiaceae), a wild plant that exhibits growth reduction under elevated CO2 in the previous study. The plant [...] Read more.
This study explores how elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) levels affects the growth and defense mechanisms of plants. We focused on Aristolochia contorta Bunge (Aristolochiaceae), a wild plant that exhibits growth reduction under elevated CO2 in the previous study. The plant has Sericinus montela Gray (Papilionidae) as a specialist herbivore. By analyzing primary metabolites, understanding both the growth and defense response of plants to herbivory under elevated CO2 conditions is possible. The experiment was conducted across four groups, combining two CO2 concentration conditions (ambient CO2 and elevated CO2) with two herbivory conditions (herbivory treated and untreated). Although many plants exhibit increased growth under elevated CO2 levels, A. contorta exhibited reduced growth with lower height, dry weight, and total leaf area. Under herbivory, A. contorta triggered both localized and systemic responses. More primary metabolites exhibited significant differences due to herbivory treatment in systemic tissue than local leaves that herbivory was directly treated. Herbivory under elevated CO2 level triggered more significant responses in primary metabolites (17 metabolites) than herbivory under ambient CO2 conditions (five metabolites). Several defense-related metabolites exhibited higher concentrations in the roots and lower concentrations in the leaves in response to the herbivory treatment in the elevated CO2 group. This suggests a potential intensification of defensive responses in the underground parts of the plant under elevated CO2 levels. Our findings underscore the importance of considering both abiotic and biotic factors in understanding plant responses to environmental changes. The adaptive strategies of A. contorta suggest a complex response mechanism to elevated CO2 and herbivory pressures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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20 pages, 5966 KiB  
Article
Allelopathic Effects of Corn Straw and Its Water Extracts on Four Weed Species and Foxtail Millet
by Shuqi Dong, Jiaxin Dong, Peiyao Li, Bo Cao, Mengyao Liu, Zhenyu Guo, Xie Song, Yongqing Ma, Chunyan Hu and Xiangyang Yuan
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1315; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101315 - 10 May 2024
Viewed by 370
Abstract
Straw covering is a protective tillage measure in agricultural production, but there is relatively little research on the allelopathic effects of corn straw on weeds and foxtail millet. This experiment studied the allelopathic effects of corn straw on four weeds (Chenopodium album [...] Read more.
Straw covering is a protective tillage measure in agricultural production, but there is relatively little research on the allelopathic effects of corn straw on weeds and foxtail millet. This experiment studied the allelopathic effects of corn straw on four weeds (Chenopodium album, Setaria viridis, Echinochloa crus-galli and Amaranthus retroflexus) in foxtail millet fields, and also measured the growth indicators of foxtail millet. The study consisted of Petri dish and field experiments. Five treatments were used in the Petri dish experiment: clear water as control (0 g/L, TCK) and four types of corn straw water extracts. They were, respectively, the stock solution (100 g/L, T1), 10 X dilution (10 g/L, T2), 50 X dilution (2 g/L, T3), and 100 X dilution (1 g/L, T4) of corn straw water extracts. Additionally, seven treatments were set up in the field experiment, consisting of three corn straw covering treatments, with covering amounts of 3000 (Z1), 6000 (Z2) and 12,000 kg/ha (Z3), and four control treatments—one treatment with no corn straw cover (CK) and three treatments involving the use of a black film to create the same shading area as the corn straw covered area, with black film coverage areas of 50% (PZ1), 70% (PZ2), and 100% (PZ3), respectively. The results showed that the corn straw water extract reduced the germination rate of the seeds of the four weeds. The T1 treatment resulted in the allelopathic promotion of C. album growth but the inhibition of S. viridis, E. crus-galli, and A. retroflexus growth. Treatments T2, T3, and T4 all induced the allelopathic promotion of the growth of the four weeds. The order of the effects of the corn straw water extracts on the comprehensive allelopathy index of the four weed seeds was as follows: C. album > S. viridis > A. retroflexus > E. crus-galli. With an increase in the corn straw mulching amount, the density and total coverage of the four weeds showed a gradual downward trend, whereas the plant control effect and fresh weight control effect showed a gradual upward trend. All indices showed the best results under 12,000 kg/ha of mulching and returning to the field. Overall, corn straw coverage significantly impacted the net photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate of foxtail millet and increased the yield of foxtail millet. Under coverages of 6000 and 12,000 kg/ha, the growth of foxtail millet is better. Based on our findings, we recommend a corn straw coverage of 12,000 kg/ha for the allelopathic control of weeds in foxtail millet fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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14 pages, 9632 KiB  
Article
First Clarification of the Involvement of Glycosyltransferase MdUGT73CG22 in the Detoxification Metabolism of Nicosulfuron in Apple
by Yuefeng Zhang, Aijuan Zhao, Lijun Mu, Xiao Teng, Yingxin Ma, Ru Li, Kang Lei, Lusha Ji, Xuekun Wang and Pan Li
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1171; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091171 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 515
Abstract
Nicosulfuron, an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicide, is a broad-spectrum and highly effective post-emergence herbicide. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are widely found in organisms and transfer sugar molecules from donors to acceptors to form glycosides or sugar esters, thereby altering the physicochemical properties of the [...] Read more.
Nicosulfuron, an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicide, is a broad-spectrum and highly effective post-emergence herbicide. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are widely found in organisms and transfer sugar molecules from donors to acceptors to form glycosides or sugar esters, thereby altering the physicochemical properties of the acceptor molecule, such as participating in detoxification. In this study, nine glycosyltransferases in group D of the apple glycosyltransferase family I were predicted to possibly be involved in the detoxification metabolism of ALS-inhibiting herbicides based on gene chip data published online. In order to confirm this, we analysed whether the expression of the nine glycosyltransferase genes in group D was induced by the previously reported ALS-inhibiting herbicides by real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction). It was found that the ALS-inhibiting herbicide nicosulfuron significantly increased the expression of the MdUGT73CG22 gene in group D. Further investigation of the mechanism of action revealed that the apple glycosyltransferase MdUGT73CG22 glycosylated and modified nicosulfuron both in vivo and ex vivo to form nicosulfuron glycosides, which were involved in detoxification metabolism. In conclusion, a new glycosyltransferase, MdUGT73CG22, was identified for the first time in this study, which can glycosylate modifications of the ALS-inhibiting herbicide nicosulfuron and may be involved in the detoxification process in plants, which can help to further improve the knowledge of the non-targeted mechanism of herbicides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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12 pages, 301 KiB  
Article
Effects of Seven Plant Essential Oils on the Growth, Development and Feeding Behavior of the Wingless Aphis gossypii Glover
by Xinhang Wang, Ying Zhang, Haibin Yuan and Yanhui Lu
Plants 2024, 13(7), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070916 - 22 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 789
Abstract
Cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover damages plants such as cotton directly by feeding on leaves and indirectly by transmitting viruses and excreting honeydew, which interferes with photosynthesis. The control of A. gossypii is still dominated by the frequent use of insecticides, which leads [...] Read more.
Cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover damages plants such as cotton directly by feeding on leaves and indirectly by transmitting viruses and excreting honeydew, which interferes with photosynthesis. The control of A. gossypii is still dominated by the frequent use of insecticides, which leads to a gradual increase in pesticide resistance in A. gossypii. Research is therefore needed on non-pesticide controls. In this study, seven plant essential oils (EOs) of Ocimum sanctum L., Ocimum basilicum L., Ocimum gratissimum L., Mentha piperita L., Mentha arvensis L., Tagetes erecta L., and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. were examined as potential controls for A. gossypii. We used life tables and electrical penetration graphs (EPG) to explore the effects of these EOs on the growth, development, and feeding behavior of A. gossypii, followed by a study of effects of the EOs on honeydew secretion by A. gossypii as a measure of their antifeedant activity. We found that the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, M. arvensis and T. erecta significantly extended the pre-adult developmental period. Also, adult longevity, number of oviposition days, and total fecundity of A. gossypii treated with the EOs of M. arvensis or T. erecta were all significantly reduced. Aphids treated with the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, or L. angustifolia showed significant reductions in their net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), and finite rate of increase (λ), and significant increases in mean generation time (T). In terms of their effects on the feeding behavior of A. gossypii, all seven EOs significantly reduced the total duration of phloem feeding (E2 waves), the number of phloem-feeding bouts, and the proportion of time spent in secretion of saliva into phloem sieve elements (E1 waves) and phloem feeding (E2). The total duration and number of E1 waves (saliva secretion) were significantly reduced by the EOs of O. sanctum, O. gratissimum, and M. arvensis. For C waves (probing in non-vascular tissues), the total duration spent in this behavior was significantly increased by the EOs of O. gratissimum, M. piperita, and L. angustifolia, but the number of such probing events was increased only by L. angustifolia EO. The EOs of O. basilicum, M. arvensis, and T. erecta significantly increased the total duration of ingestion of xylem sap (G waves), while the total time of mechanical difficulty in stylet penetration (F waves) was increased by M. arvensis. The total duration and number of the non-probing events (Np waves) were significantly increased by EOs of O. sanctum and O. basilicum. After treatment with all seven of these EOs, the area covered by honeydew was significantly reduced compared with the control. Studies have analyzed that EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, and T. erecta were most effective, followed by the EOs of M. arvensis and L. angustifolia, and finally the EOs of O. basilicum and O. gratissimum. In the present study, the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, and T. erecta were found to have potential for the development as antifeedants of A. gossypii, and these data provide a basis for future research on non-pesticide chemical control of A. gossypii. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
15 pages, 6033 KiB  
Article
Isolation and Identification of Allelopathic Substances from Forsythia suspensa Leaves, and Their Metabolism and Activity
by Hisashi Kato-Noguchi, Yuga Takahashi, Shunya Tojo and Toshiaki Teruya
Plants 2024, 13(5), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050575 - 20 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1279
Abstract
The fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as “Forsythiae fructus”. The species is also grown in parks and gardens, and on streets and building lots, as an ornamental plant, but it requires pruning. In [...] Read more.
The fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as “Forsythiae fructus”. The species is also grown in parks and gardens, and on streets and building lots, as an ornamental plant, but it requires pruning. In this study, the allelopathic activity and allelopathic substances in the leaves of pruned branches of F. suspensa were investigated to determine any potential application. The leaf extracts of F. suspensa showed growth inhibitory activity against three weed species; Echinochloa crus-galli, Lolium multiflorum, and Vulpia myuros. Two allelopathic substances in the extracts were isolated through the bioassay-guided purification process, and identified as (-)-matairesinol and (-)-arctigenin. (-)-Matairesinol and (-)-arctigenin, which showed significant growth inhibitory activity at concentrations greater than 0.3 mM in vitro. The inhibitory activity of (-)-arctigenin was greater than that of (-)-matairesinol. However, both compounds were more active than (+)-pinolesinol which is their precursor in the biosynthetic pathway. The investigation suggests that F. suspensa leaves are allelopathic, and (-)-matairesinol and (-)-arctigenin may contribute to the growth inhibitory activities. Therefore, the leaves of the pruned branches can be applied as a weed management strategy in some agricultural practices such as using the leaf extracts in a foliar spray and the leaves in a soil mixture, thereby reducing the dependency on synthetic herbicides in the crop cultivation and contributing to developing eco-friendly agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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Review

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35 pages, 1836 KiB  
Review
Chemically Mediated Plant–Plant Interactions: Allelopathy and Allelobiosis
by Chui-Hua Kong, Zheng Li, Feng-Li Li, Xin-Xin Xia and Peng Wang
Plants 2024, 13(5), 626; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050626 - 24 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1962
Abstract
Plant–plant interactions are a central driver for plant coexistence and community assembly. Chemically mediated plant–plant interactions are represented by allelopathy and allelobiosis. Both allelopathy and allelobiosis are achieved through specialized metabolites (allelochemicals or signaling chemicals) produced and released from neighboring plants. Allelopathy exerts [...] Read more.
Plant–plant interactions are a central driver for plant coexistence and community assembly. Chemically mediated plant–plant interactions are represented by allelopathy and allelobiosis. Both allelopathy and allelobiosis are achieved through specialized metabolites (allelochemicals or signaling chemicals) produced and released from neighboring plants. Allelopathy exerts mostly negative effects on the establishment and growth of neighboring plants by allelochemicals, while allelobiosis provides plant neighbor detection and identity recognition mediated by signaling chemicals. Therefore, plants can chemically affect the performance of neighboring plants through the allelopathy and allelobiosis that frequently occur in plant–plant intra-specific and inter-specific interactions. Allelopathy and allelobiosis are two probably inseparable processes that occur together in plant–plant chemical interactions. Here, we comprehensively review allelopathy and allelobiosis in plant–plant interactions, including allelopathy and allelochemicals and their application for sustainable agriculture and forestry, allelobiosis and plant identity recognition, chemically mediated root–soil interactions and plant–soil feedback, and biosynthesis and the molecular mechanisms of allelochemicals and signaling chemicals. Altogether, these efforts provide the recent advancements in the wide field of allelopathy and allelobiosis, and new insights into the chemically mediated plant–plant interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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