Could vectors’ fear of predators reduce the spread of plant diseases?

Could vectors’ fear of predators reduce the spread of plant diseases?

Predators influence the behaviour of prey and by doing so they potentially reduce pathogen transmission by a vector. Arthropod predators have been shown to reduce the consumption of plant biomass by pest herbivores, but their cascading non-consumptive effect on vector insects’ feeding behaviour and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 8705 - 10
Main Authors: Tholt, G., Kis, A., Medzihradszky, A., Szita, É., Tóth, Z., Havelda, Z., Samu, F.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 07-06-2018
Nature Publishing Group
Subjects:
631/158/2456
631/158/856
Animal behavior
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Disease transmission
DNA
Feeding behavior
Herbivores
Host plants
Humanities and Social Sciences
Ingestion
Inoculation
Leaves
multidisciplinary
Pathogens
Phloem
Plant biomass
Plant diseases
Plant tissues
Plant viruses
Predation
Predators
Prey
Saliva
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Secretion
Vectors
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Summary:Predators influence the behaviour of prey and by doing so they potentially reduce pathogen transmission by a vector. Arthropod predators have been shown to reduce the consumption of plant biomass by pest herbivores, but their cascading non-consumptive effect on vector insects’ feeding behaviour and subsequent pathogen transmission has not been investigated experimentally before. Here we experimentally examined predator-mediated pathogen transmission mechanisms using the plant pathogen Wheat Dwarf Virus that is transmitted by the leafhopper, Psammotettix alienus . We applied in situ hybridization to localize which leaf tissues were infected with transmitted virus DNA in barley host plants, proving that virus occurrence is restricted to phloem tissues. In the presence of the spider predator, Tibellus oblongus , we recorded the within leaf feeding behaviour of the herbivore using electrical penetration graph. The leafhopper altered its feeding behaviour in response to predation risk. Phloem ingestion, the feeding phase when virus acquisition occurs, was delayed and was less frequent. The phase when pathogen inoculation takes place, via the secretion of virus infected vector saliva, was shorter when predator was present. Our study thus provides experimental evidence that predators can potentially limit the spread of plant pathogens solely through influencing the feeding behaviour of vector organisms.
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ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-27103-y