Heat-stress induced sesquiterpenes of Chrysanthemum nankingense attract herbivores but repel herbivore feeding

Abstract

Plants are frequently exposed to heat stress as a result of global warming. Heat stress leads to a series of physiological responses including stress volatile elicitation, but how heat stress-induced volatile cues affect the behavior of herbivores is poorly understood. In this study, the polyphagous herbivore Spodoptera litura (tobacco cutworm, TCW) and Chrysanthemum nankingense were selected as the model to elucidate the interactions between herbivore behavior and heat stress-induced plant physiological changes. Photosynthetic characteristics and volatile emissions were measured in C. nankingense control plants (25 °C for 3 h), in C. nankingense exposed to moderate (35 °C for 3 h), and severe (45 °C for 3 h) heat stresses. Net photosynthetic rate (An) decreased by more than two-fold after exposure to 45 °C due to non-stomatal inhibition of photosynthesis. 45 °C treatment induced emissions of the camphor and (E)-β-caryophyllene. Exposure to 35 °C had minor effects on photosynthetic characteristics and did not induce terpene emissions. Using dual-choice olfactometer bioassays, we found that 45 °C treatment enhanced the attractiveness of the plants to TCW. Moreover, the leaf concentrations of nine sesquiterpenes were increased and the feeding of TCW was strongly inhibited after 45 °C treatment compared with control plants. Taken together, our study highlights the impact of heat stress on the behavior of the herbivore mediated by the accumulation and emission of sesquiterpenes and suggests altered pest-host interactions under future warmer climates. Modulation of terpenoid emissions and contents should be considered in developing future ecological pest control strategies in agricultural fields.