Journal article
Corymbia Species and Hybrids: Chemical and Physical Foliar Attributes and Implications for Herbivory
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Vol.35(9), pp.1043-1053
2009
Abstract
Hybridization is an important biological phenomenon that can be used to understand the evolutionary process of speciation of plants and their associated pests and diseases. Interactions between hybrid plants and the herbivores of the parental taxa may be used to elucidate the various cues being used by the pests for host location or other processes. The chemical composition of plants, and their physical foliar attributes, including leaf thickness, trichome density, moisture content and specific leaf weight were compared between allopatric pure and commercial hybrid species of Corymbia, an important subtropical hardwood taxon. The leaf-eating beetle Paropsis atomaria, to which the pure taxa represented host (C. citriodora subsp. variegata) and non-host (C. torelliana) plants, was used to examine patterns of herbivory in relation to these traits. Hybrid physical foliar traits, chemical profiles, and field and laboratory beetle feeding preference, while showing some variability, were generally intermediate to those exhibited by parent taxa, thus suggesting an additive inheritance pattern. The hybrid susceptibility hypothesis was not supported by our field or laboratory studies, and there was no strong relationship between adult preference and larval performance. The most-preferred adult host was the sympatric taxon, although this species supported the lowest larval survival, while the hybrid produced significantly smaller pupae than the pure species. The results are discussed in relation to plant chemistry and physical characteristics. The findings suggest a chemical basis for host selection behavior and indicate that it may be possible to select for resistance to this insect pest in these commercially important hardwood trees.
Details
- Title
- Corymbia Species and Hybrids: Chemical and Physical Foliar Attributes and Implications for Herbivory
- Authors
- Helen F Nahrung (Author) - Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and InnovationR Waugh (Author) - Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and InnovationR Andrew Hayes (Author) - Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
- Publication details
- Journal of Chemical Ecology, Vol.35(9), pp.1043-1053
- Publisher
- Springer New York LLC
- Date published
- 2009
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10886-009-9682-9
- ISSN
- 0098-0331
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre; Forest Research Institute
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450262302621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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