21 Oct 2010

Spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) perform poorly on and disperse from plants exposed to methyl jasmonate
Charles L. Rohwer & John E. Erwin (University of Minnesota)
Jasmonates are plant hormones involved in wound and defense responses against herbivorous arthropods. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is used experimentally to induce defense responses in plants. Spraying plants with 100 lM MeJA 1 day before infestationcaused mites to disperse within 2 days from treated impatiens [Impatiens wallerana Hook f.,'Super Elfin Pink' (Balsaminaceae)], pansy [Viola x wittrockiana Gams, 'Imperial Beaconsfield'(Violaceae)], and tomato [Solanum lycopersicum L., 'Big Boy' (Solanaceae)] plants. In addition, MeJAapplication reduced mite proliferation rate on impatiens and pansy by 60% (measured 22-34 daysafter infestation). Proteinase inhibitor (PI) assays suggested that MeJA-induced PIs alone were notresponsible for the observed results in pansy and impatiens but may have been a factor in tomato.
Rohwer and Erwin 2010 spider mites methyl jasmonate EEA (298 KB)