title: Ultraweak photon emission from herbivory-injured maize plants.
abstract: Following perception of herbivory or infection, plants exhibit a wide range of inducible responses. In this study, we found ultraweak photon emissions from maize leaves damaged by Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae). Interestingly, mechanically damaged maize leaves treated with caterpillar regurgitants emitted the same intensity and pattern of photon emissions as those from maize leaves damaged by caterpillars. Furthermore, two-dimensional imaging of the leaf section treated with the oral secretions clearly shows that photon emissions were observed specifically at the lip of the wound exposed to the secretions. These results suggest that the direct interaction between maize leaf cells and chemicals contained in caterpillar regurgitants triggers these photon emissions.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Life Sciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshinaga
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Chizuko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.forename: Ritsuo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D007915:Lepidoptera / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D017785:Photons; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000469:parasitology; D003313:Zea mays / Q000469:parasitology*