Abstract
Mirid predators, a special group of plant-feeding omnivorous predators, have become important biological control agents for pest control in greenhouse cropping systems. Their efficacy and behavior may potentially be affected by microorganisms that induce plant defenses or change plant quality. Here we studied the interaction between a root restricted endophytic non-pathogenic strain of Fusarium oxysporum (Fo162) in tomato plants, the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) and the plant-feeding mirid predator Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur). In the absence of prey, inoculation of tomato plants with the Fo162 endophyte significantly reduced the reproduction of M. pygmaeus compared to plants without the endophyte. In contrast, the population growth of M. pygmaeus was not affected by the Fo162 endophyte in the presence of whiteflies. Moreover, the combination of the predator and endophyte resulted in lower whitefly densities than the predator alone. Whitefly population development was not different between endophyte-inoculated and untreated plants. Thus, endophyte inoculation of tomato plants seems to shift the feeding preference of this omnivorous predator from plant consumption towards relatively more prey consumption, resulting in enhanced suppression of the herbivore. Moreover, the negative effect of the endophyte on M. pygmaeus reproduction could easily be eliminated by providing decapsulated cysts of Artemia franciscana Kellogg as a supplemental food source. Together, this suggests an overall net positive effect of the Fo162 endophyte on a preventive biological control strategy in tomato using M. pygmaeus. Besides the enhanced whitefly control, endophyte-inoculation of tomato plants both with or without the predator also resulted in a higher yield and a reduced number of fruits with blossom-end rot, a disorder caused by limitations in uptake and transport of calcium to the fruits. This suggests that the Fo162 endophyte is also involved in the acquisition of essential nutrients for the benefit for the plant. Since both the Fo162 endophyte and the predator M. pygmaeus can induce plant defense, further studies need to elucidate the exact mechanisms that occur when both organisms are present. Our findings confirm the importance of studying endophytes and induced plant responses in a multi-trophic context with herbivores and their natural enemies.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Without prey, Fo162 inoculation significantly reduced M. pygmaeus reproduction versus uninoculated tomato.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicume0 - Treatment
- inoculation of tomato plants with the Fo162 endophytee0
- Interactor
- M. pygmaeus
Macrolophus pygmaeuse0pest - Second interactor
- Fo162 endophytee0symbiont
- Outcome
- reproduction of M. pygmaeuse0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Qualifier
- In the absence of preye0
- Comparator
- plants without the endophytee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the absence of prey, inoculation of tomato plants with the Fo162 endophyte significantly reduced the reproduction of M. pygmaeus compared to plants without the endophyte”
t0“Fusarium oxysporum”
Claim · model-written summary
With whiteflies present, Fo162 did not affect M. pygmaeus population growth.
- Taxon
- TomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- Fo162 endophytee0
- Interactor
- M. pygmaeusMacrolophus pygmaeuse0pest
- Second interactor
- Fo162 endophytee0symbiont
- Outcome
- population growth of M. pygmaeuse0
- Direction
- not affectede0
- Qualifier
- in the presence of whitefliese0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the population growth of M. pygmaeus was not affected by the Fo162 endophyte in the presence of whiteflies”
t0“Tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
The predator and endophyte combination lowered whitefly density relative to predator alone.
- Taxon
- TomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- combination of the predator and endophytee0
- Interactor
- whiteflye0pest
- Second interactor
- endophytee0symbiont
- Outcome
- whitefly densitiese0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- predator alonee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the combination of the predator and endophyte resulted in lower whitefly densities than the predator alone”
t0“Tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Whitefly population development did not differ between endophyte-inoculated and untreated tomato.
- Taxon
- TomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- endophyte-inoculatede0
- Interactor
- Whiteflye0pest
- Outcome
- Whitefly population developmente0
- Direction
- not differente0
- Comparator
- untreated plantse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Whitefly population development was not different between endophyte-inoculated and untreated plants”
t0“Tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors interpret Fo162 inoculation as shifting predator feeding toward prey consumption.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume0
- Treatment
- endophyte inoculatione0
- Outcome
- feeding preference of this omnivorous predatore0
- Direction
- shifte0
- Qualifier
- from plant consumption towards relatively more prey consumptione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“endophyte inoculation of tomato plants seems to shift the feeding preference of this omnivorous predator from plant consumption towards relatively more prey consumption”
Claim · model-written summary
Supplemental Artemia cysts eliminated the negative effect of the endophyte on M. pygmaeus reproduction.
- Taxon
- TomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- providing decapsulated cysts of Artemia franciscana Kellogg as a supplemental food sourcee0
- Interactor
- M. pygmaeusMacrolophus pygmaeuse0pest
- Second interactor
- endophytee0symbiont
- Outcome
- negative effect of the endophyte on M. pygmaeus reproductione0
- Direction
- eliminatede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the negative effect of the endophyte on M. pygmaeus reproduction could easily be eliminated by providing decapsulated cysts of Artemia franciscana Kellogg as a supplemental food source”
t0“Tomato”
Claim · model-written summary
Endophyte-inoculated tomato had higher yield with or without the predator.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume0
- Treatment
- endophyte-inoculatione0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- highere0
- Qualifier
- both with or without the predatore0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“endophyte-inoculation of tomato plants both with or without the predator also resulted in a higher yield and a reduced number of fruits with blossom-end rot”
Claim · model-written summary
Endophyte-inoculated tomato had fewer fruits with blossom-end rot with or without the predator.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume0
- Treatment
- endophyte-inoculatione0
- Outcome
- number of fruits with blossom-end rote0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Qualifier
- both with or without the predatore0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“endophyte-inoculation of tomato plants both with or without the predator also resulted in a higher yield and a reduced number of fruits with blossom-end rot”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors suggest Fo162 involvement in essential nutrient acquisition in tomato.
- Taxon
- TomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Interactor
- Fo162 endophytee0symbiont
- Outcome
- acquisition of essential nutrientse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“the Fo162 endophyte is also involved in the acquisition of essential nutrients for the benefit for the plant”
t0“Tomato”
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