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The Fungus Raffaelea lauricola Modifies Behavior of Its Symbiont and Vector, the Redbay Ambrosia Beetle (Xyleborus Glabratus), by Altering Host Plant Volatile Production

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Abstract

The redbay ambrosia beetle Xyleborus glabratus is the vector of the symbiotic fungus, Raffaelea lauricola that causes laurel wilt, a highly lethal disease to members of the Lauraceae family. Pioneer X. glabratus beetles infect live trees with R. lauricola, and only when tree health starts declining more X. glabratus are attracted to the infected tree. Until now this sequence of events was not well understood. In this study, we investigated the temporal patterns of host volatiles and phytohormone production and vector attraction in relation to laurel wilt symptomology. Following inoculations with R. lauricola, volatile collections and behavioral tests were performed at different time points. Three days after infection (DAI), we found significant repellency of X. glabratus by leaf odors of infected swamp bay Persea palustris as compared with controls. However, at 10 and 20 DAI, X. glabratus were more attracted to leaf odors from infected than non-infected host plants. GC-MS analysis revealed an increase in methyl salicylate (MeSA) 3 DAI, whereas an increase of sesquiterpenes and leaf aldehydes was observed 10 and 20 DAI in leaf volatiles. MeSA was the only behaviorally active repellent of X. glabratus in laboratory bioassays. In contrast, X. glabratus did not prefer infected wood over healthy wood, and there was no associated significant difference in their volatile profiles. Analyses of phytohormone profiles revealed an initial increase in the amount of salicylic acid (SA) in leaf tissues following fungal infection, suggesting that the SA pathway was activated by R. lauricola infection, and this activation caused increased release of MeSA. Overall, our findings provide a better understanding of X. glabratus ecology and underline chemical interactions with its symbiotic fungus. Our work also demonstrates how the laurel wilt pathosystem alters host defenses to impact vector behavior and suggests manipulation of host odor by the fungus that attract more vectors.

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Acknowledgements

This research was partially supported by USDA-NIFA grant 2015·51181-24257 to LLS. We thank Angelique Hoyte, Laurie Martini, and Barry Fleming for assistance in the laboratory experiments at the UF Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred. We thank Dr. Heather McAuslane, Lucile Skelley, Adam Black and Patrick James for laboratory and field assistance at UF Gainesville.

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  1. Xavier Martini and Marc A. Hughes have equal contribution to this study

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Entomology and Nematology Department, North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 155 Experiment Road, Quincy, FL, 32351, USA

    Xavier Martini

  2. Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 700 Experiment Station Rd, Lake Alfred, FL, 33850, USA

    Xavier Martini & Lukasz L. Stelinski

  3. School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, 136 Newins-Ziegler Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0410, USA

    Marc A. Hughes & Jason A. Smith

  4. Plant Pathology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 700 Experiment Station Rd, Lake Alfred, FL, 33850, USA

    Nabil Killiny

  5. Subtropical Insects and Horticultural Research Unit, United States Horticultural Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 2001 South Rock Rd., Fort Pierce, FL, 34945, USA

    Justin George & Stephen L. Lapointe

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  1. Xavier Martini
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Correspondence to Xavier Martini.

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Martini, X., Hughes, M.A., Killiny, N. et al. The Fungus Raffaelea lauricola Modifies Behavior of Its Symbiont and Vector, the Redbay Ambrosia Beetle (Xyleborus Glabratus), by Altering Host Plant Volatile Production. J Chem Ecol 43, 519–531 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-017-0843-y

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