Abstract
Plants are continuously interacting with other organisms to optimize their performance in a changing environment. Mycorrhization is known to affect the plant growth and nutrient status, but it also can lead to adjusted plant defense and alter interactions with other trophic levels. Here, we studied the effect of Laccaria bicolor-mycorrhization on the poplar (Populus x canescens) metabolome and volatilome on trees with and without a poplar leaf beetle (Chrysomela populi) infestation. We analyzed the leaf and root metabolomes employing liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, and the leaf volatilome employing headspace sorptive extraction combined with gas-chromatography–mass spectrometry. Mycorrhization caused distinct metabolic adjustments in roots, young/infested leaves and old/not directly infested leaves. Mycorrhization adjusted the lipid composition, the abundance of peptides and, especially upon herbivory, the level of various phenolic compounds. The greatest change in leaf volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions occurred four to eight days following the beetle infestation. Together, these results prove that mycorrhization affects the whole plant metabolome and may influence poplar aboveground interactions. The herbivores and the mycorrhizal fungi interact with each other indirectly through a common host plant, a result that emphasizes the importance of community approach in chemical ecology.
Highlights
In nature, trees are continuously interacting with their above- and belowground environment
Our results reveal that differences in the plant metabolome in response to EMF and/or herbivory and (ii) the mycorrhization distinctly altered the metabolome of young and old leaves, and roots timing of the herbivory-induced volatile organic compound (VOC) release from the EMF and non-EMF plants
Our analysis revealed that mycorrhization leads to larger, long-lasting adjustments in the poplar metabolome across different tissues than herbivory does, even in the directly infested leaves
Summary
Trees are continuously interacting with their above- and belowground environment. Part of these interactions involves the synthesis and release of volatile and non-volatile metabolites, that can decrease the harmful and enhance the beneficial incidents and interactions [1]. While plants synthesize a number of secondary metabolites constitutively, the biosynthesis of many defense-related metabolites occur only in response to a distinct trigger, such as herbivore feeding [2]. Biotic stresses are known to trigger the biosynthesis of various plant secondary metabolites including phenolics, terpenoids and sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds [3]. In addition to several soluble metabolites, herbivore feeding induces the biosynthesis and release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Prominent VOCs with biological activities include terpenoids, green leaf volatiles, 4.0/)
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