Plant Chemical Ecology

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2024 | Viewed by 4295

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: allelopathy; allelochemicals; plant kin recognition; plant–plant interactions; plant–soil interactions

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Guest Editor
Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: insect–plant interactions; herbivore-induced plant defense; defense-related signaling
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Guest Editor
Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
Interests: root exudates and SOM dynamics; plant–microbe–soil interactions; plant functional traits and ecosystem processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang A&F University, Hanghzou 311300, China
Interests: plant–insect interactions; the ecological function of volatile organic compounds; the molecular mechanism of plant resistance against insects

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chemical ecology is an intersectional discipline that covers a broad array of subjects, involving inter- and intra-specific chemical interactions mediated by secondary metabolites among organisms, as well as between organisms and environmental factors. Plants are producers and play a central role in ecosystems. There are various chemical interactions between plant and other organisms in natural and managed systems. Plant chemical ecology has provided fascinating insights into eco-evolutionary relationships and represent potential strategies for sustainable agriculture.

This Special Issue will focus on the recent advancements in the wide field of plant chemical ecology. We invite you to share your contributions on chemically mediated plant–plant, plant–insect/animal, and plant–microbe interactions. Research papers, communications, and review articles are welcome. We believe that the Special Issue is of sufficient general interest and that its publication will appeal to a more general audience, stimulating additional research into plant–organism chemical interactions.

Prof. Dr. Chui-Hua Kong
Prof. Dr. Yonggen Lou
Prof. Dr. Peng Wang
Prof. Dr. Guoxin Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • allelopathy
  • allelochemicals
  • chemical communication
  • chemical defenses
  • common mycorrhizal networks
  • kin recognition
  • herbivores
  • pathogens
  • pest management
  • signaling interactions
  • soil microorganisms
  • rhizosphere
  • root exudates
  • volatiles

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 9632 KiB  
Article
First Clarification of the Involvement of Glycosyltransferase MdUGT73CG22 in the Detoxification Metabolism of Nicosulfuron in Apple
by Yuefeng Zhang, Aijuan Zhao, Lijun Mu, Xiao Teng, Yingxin Ma, Ru Li, Kang Lei, Lusha Ji, Xuekun Wang and Pan Li
Plants 2024, 13(9), 1171; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13091171 - 23 Apr 2024
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Nicosulfuron, an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicide, is a broad-spectrum and highly effective post-emergence herbicide. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are widely found in organisms and transfer sugar molecules from donors to acceptors to form glycosides or sugar esters, thereby altering the physicochemical properties of the [...] Read more.
Nicosulfuron, an acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitor herbicide, is a broad-spectrum and highly effective post-emergence herbicide. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are widely found in organisms and transfer sugar molecules from donors to acceptors to form glycosides or sugar esters, thereby altering the physicochemical properties of the acceptor molecule, such as participating in detoxification. In this study, nine glycosyltransferases in group D of the apple glycosyltransferase family I were predicted to possibly be involved in the detoxification metabolism of ALS-inhibiting herbicides based on gene chip data published online. In order to confirm this, we analysed whether the expression of the nine glycosyltransferase genes in group D was induced by the previously reported ALS-inhibiting herbicides by real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction). It was found that the ALS-inhibiting herbicide nicosulfuron significantly increased the expression of the MdUGT73CG22 gene in group D. Further investigation of the mechanism of action revealed that the apple glycosyltransferase MdUGT73CG22 glycosylated and modified nicosulfuron both in vivo and ex vivo to form nicosulfuron glycosides, which were involved in detoxification metabolism. In conclusion, a new glycosyltransferase, MdUGT73CG22, was identified for the first time in this study, which can glycosylate modifications of the ALS-inhibiting herbicide nicosulfuron and may be involved in the detoxification process in plants, which can help to further improve the knowledge of the non-targeted mechanism of herbicides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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12 pages, 301 KiB  
Article
Effects of Seven Plant Essential Oils on the Growth, Development and Feeding Behavior of the Wingless Aphis gossypii Glover
by Xinhang Wang, Ying Zhang, Haibin Yuan and Yanhui Lu
Plants 2024, 13(7), 916; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070916 - 22 Mar 2024
Viewed by 647
Abstract
Cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover damages plants such as cotton directly by feeding on leaves and indirectly by transmitting viruses and excreting honeydew, which interferes with photosynthesis. The control of A. gossypii is still dominated by the frequent use of insecticides, which leads [...] Read more.
Cotton aphid Aphis gossypii Glover damages plants such as cotton directly by feeding on leaves and indirectly by transmitting viruses and excreting honeydew, which interferes with photosynthesis. The control of A. gossypii is still dominated by the frequent use of insecticides, which leads to a gradual increase in pesticide resistance in A. gossypii. Research is therefore needed on non-pesticide controls. In this study, seven plant essential oils (EOs) of Ocimum sanctum L., Ocimum basilicum L., Ocimum gratissimum L., Mentha piperita L., Mentha arvensis L., Tagetes erecta L., and Lavandula angustifolia Mill. were examined as potential controls for A. gossypii. We used life tables and electrical penetration graphs (EPG) to explore the effects of these EOs on the growth, development, and feeding behavior of A. gossypii, followed by a study of effects of the EOs on honeydew secretion by A. gossypii as a measure of their antifeedant activity. We found that the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, M. arvensis and T. erecta significantly extended the pre-adult developmental period. Also, adult longevity, number of oviposition days, and total fecundity of A. gossypii treated with the EOs of M. arvensis or T. erecta were all significantly reduced. Aphids treated with the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, or L. angustifolia showed significant reductions in their net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (rm), and finite rate of increase (λ), and significant increases in mean generation time (T). In terms of their effects on the feeding behavior of A. gossypii, all seven EOs significantly reduced the total duration of phloem feeding (E2 waves), the number of phloem-feeding bouts, and the proportion of time spent in secretion of saliva into phloem sieve elements (E1 waves) and phloem feeding (E2). The total duration and number of E1 waves (saliva secretion) were significantly reduced by the EOs of O. sanctum, O. gratissimum, and M. arvensis. For C waves (probing in non-vascular tissues), the total duration spent in this behavior was significantly increased by the EOs of O. gratissimum, M. piperita, and L. angustifolia, but the number of such probing events was increased only by L. angustifolia EO. The EOs of O. basilicum, M. arvensis, and T. erecta significantly increased the total duration of ingestion of xylem sap (G waves), while the total time of mechanical difficulty in stylet penetration (F waves) was increased by M. arvensis. The total duration and number of the non-probing events (Np waves) were significantly increased by EOs of O. sanctum and O. basilicum. After treatment with all seven of these EOs, the area covered by honeydew was significantly reduced compared with the control. Studies have analyzed that EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, and T. erecta were most effective, followed by the EOs of M. arvensis and L. angustifolia, and finally the EOs of O. basilicum and O. gratissimum. In the present study, the EOs of O. sanctum, M. piperita, and T. erecta were found to have potential for the development as antifeedants of A. gossypii, and these data provide a basis for future research on non-pesticide chemical control of A. gossypii. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
15 pages, 6033 KiB  
Article
Isolation and Identification of Allelopathic Substances from Forsythia suspensa Leaves, and Their Metabolism and Activity
by Hisashi Kato-Noguchi, Yuga Takahashi, Shunya Tojo and Toshiaki Teruya
Plants 2024, 13(5), 575; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050575 - 20 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1148
Abstract
The fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as “Forsythiae fructus”. The species is also grown in parks and gardens, and on streets and building lots, as an ornamental plant, but it requires pruning. In [...] Read more.
The fruit of Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as “Forsythiae fructus”. The species is also grown in parks and gardens, and on streets and building lots, as an ornamental plant, but it requires pruning. In this study, the allelopathic activity and allelopathic substances in the leaves of pruned branches of F. suspensa were investigated to determine any potential application. The leaf extracts of F. suspensa showed growth inhibitory activity against three weed species; Echinochloa crus-galli, Lolium multiflorum, and Vulpia myuros. Two allelopathic substances in the extracts were isolated through the bioassay-guided purification process, and identified as (-)-matairesinol and (-)-arctigenin. (-)-Matairesinol and (-)-arctigenin, which showed significant growth inhibitory activity at concentrations greater than 0.3 mM in vitro. The inhibitory activity of (-)-arctigenin was greater than that of (-)-matairesinol. However, both compounds were more active than (+)-pinolesinol which is their precursor in the biosynthetic pathway. The investigation suggests that F. suspensa leaves are allelopathic, and (-)-matairesinol and (-)-arctigenin may contribute to the growth inhibitory activities. Therefore, the leaves of the pruned branches can be applied as a weed management strategy in some agricultural practices such as using the leaf extracts in a foliar spray and the leaves in a soil mixture, thereby reducing the dependency on synthetic herbicides in the crop cultivation and contributing to developing eco-friendly agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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Review

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35 pages, 1836 KiB  
Review
Chemically Mediated Plant–Plant Interactions: Allelopathy and Allelobiosis
by Chui-Hua Kong, Zheng Li, Feng-Li Li, Xin-Xin Xia and Peng Wang
Plants 2024, 13(5), 626; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050626 - 24 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1405
Abstract
Plant–plant interactions are a central driver for plant coexistence and community assembly. Chemically mediated plant–plant interactions are represented by allelopathy and allelobiosis. Both allelopathy and allelobiosis are achieved through specialized metabolites (allelochemicals or signaling chemicals) produced and released from neighboring plants. Allelopathy exerts [...] Read more.
Plant–plant interactions are a central driver for plant coexistence and community assembly. Chemically mediated plant–plant interactions are represented by allelopathy and allelobiosis. Both allelopathy and allelobiosis are achieved through specialized metabolites (allelochemicals or signaling chemicals) produced and released from neighboring plants. Allelopathy exerts mostly negative effects on the establishment and growth of neighboring plants by allelochemicals, while allelobiosis provides plant neighbor detection and identity recognition mediated by signaling chemicals. Therefore, plants can chemically affect the performance of neighboring plants through the allelopathy and allelobiosis that frequently occur in plant–plant intra-specific and inter-specific interactions. Allelopathy and allelobiosis are two probably inseparable processes that occur together in plant–plant chemical interactions. Here, we comprehensively review allelopathy and allelobiosis in plant–plant interactions, including allelopathy and allelochemicals and their application for sustainable agriculture and forestry, allelobiosis and plant identity recognition, chemically mediated root–soil interactions and plant–soil feedback, and biosynthesis and the molecular mechanisms of allelochemicals and signaling chemicals. Altogether, these efforts provide the recent advancements in the wide field of allelopathy and allelobiosis, and new insights into the chemically mediated plant–plant interactions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Chemical Ecology)
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