What is it about?
Over the course of evolution, plants have developed a broad spectrum of defense mechanisms against herbivorous insects to protect themselves and ensure their survival and reproduction. These defenses include the emission of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs), which are plant scents that serve as attractants to natural enemies of herbivores, such as parasitoids or predators.
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Why is it important?
Natural enemies use these olfactory cues to search for hosts or preys. Thus, HIPVs play an important role in population dynamics; because they might affect the behavior of natural enemies, and natural enemies can consequently suppress herbivores population in an ecosystem. Because of that, it has been proposed to study of plant volatiles as a new focus for sustainable pest management in crops.
Perspectives
Earwigs preferred the early plant scents over late ones, which possibly increases the chances of the earwig finding suitable prey, quickly at a very premature stage of herbivory.
Full Professor José Mauricio Simões Bento
Universidade de Sao Paulo Campus de Piracicaba
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Predatory Earwig Insects Are Found To Be Attracted To Damaged Plants, January 2018, Science Trends,
DOI: 10.31988/scitrends.8511.
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