Herbivore-induced ethylene: plant-herbivore interaction of ethylene-insensitive petunias and western flower thrips

The phytohormone ethylene is a key modulator on the activation of different physiological processes of the plant, including a cascade of plant defenses against herbivores and/or pathogens. Plants increase their ethylene production in response to herbivore and pathogen attack. The discovery and transformation of ethylene insensitive (etr-1) petunias has allowed the study of flower senescence and the role of ethylene on plant processes. The etr1-1 petunias showed a dramatically increase of the longevity of the flowers; however, the impact of herbivores on these plants has not been evaluated and little is known about the role of ethylene on plant-herbivore interactions. The western flower thrips (WFT) is one of the most important insect pest found attacking petunias and different floriculture and vegetable crops in the greenhouse. The current study explores the WFT- induced ethylene in petunias and compares the life-history traits of WFT and physiological processes between etr1-1 and wild-type petunias. I hypothesize that etr1-1 petunias will be more susceptible to WFT feeding because of the shutdown of signaling that activates the plant defenses. This research has potential economic impact for the floriculture industry and will broaden our knowledge on plant-insect interactions.