Volatile signaling in plant-plant-herbivore interactions: what is real?
Plants release volatiles after herbivore attack in a highly regulated fashion. These compounds attract natural enemies and function as indirect defenses. Whether neighboring plants 'eavesdrop' on these volatile signals and tailor their defenses accordingly remains controversial. Recent laboratory studies have identified transcriptional changes that occur in plants in response to certain volatiles. These changes occur under conditions that enhance the probability of signal perception and response. Field studies have demonstrated repeatable increases in the herbivore resistance of plants growing downwind of damaged plants.
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Department of Molecular Ecology, Winzerlaer Strasse 10, Jena 07745, Germany. baldwin@ice.mpg.de
Ian T
IT
Baldwin
André
A
Kessler
Rayko
R
Halitschke
D000818:Animals; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D010944:Plants / Q000469:parasitology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014835:Volatilization
D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile