Transcriptomic Profiling of Jasmonic Acid- and Salicylic Acid-Induced Immune Responses in Mulberry (Morus spp.) to Glyphodes pyloalis Herbivory
Mulberry (Morus spp.) plants are economically important as the primary host for silkworms, but they are susceptible to herbivory by Glyphodes pyloalis (mulberry pyralid), a major pest causing significant yield losses. Here, we investigated the molecular basis of induced defense responses in mulberry following foliar sprays of jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA), two key phytohormones involved in plant immunity. RNA-Seq was performed on leaf tissues from three treatment groups: control (CG), JA-treated, and SA-treated. Differential gene expression analysis revealed 667 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CG_vs_JA (395 upregulated, 272 downregulated), 1,177 DEGs in CG_vs_SA (461 upregulated, 716 downregulated), and 282 DEGs in JA_vs_SA (104 upregulated, 178 downregulated). These transcriptomic profiles provide insights into JA- and SA-mediated signaling crosstalk and their regulatory roles in mulberry defense against G. pyloalis, with downstream effects on pest fecundity. This dataset serves as a valuable resource for understanding phytohormone-induced resistance in woody perennials and for developing RNA-based or hormone-based pest management strategies in sericulture systems.