AUTHOR=Wang Dingli , Zhou Lifeng , Wang Qiyun , Ding Jianqing 

TITLE=Plant Chemistry Determines Host Preference and Performance of an Invasive Insect

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.594663

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2020.594663

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Understanding how host plant chemistry affects invasive insects is crucial for determining the physiological mechanism of host use and predicting invasive insect outbreak and damage on hosts. Here, we examined the effects of plant nutrition and defensive chemicals on host preference and performance of adults and larvae of the invasive potato tuberworm, <italic>Phthorimaea operculella</italic> (Zeller; Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), on four native (<italic>Solanum tuberosum</italic>, <italic>Nicotiana tabacum</italic>, <italic>Datura stramonium</italic>, and <italic>Solanum lycopersicum</italic>) and three new (<italic>Solanum melongena</italic>, <italic>Physalis alkekengi</italic>, and <italic>Lycium barbarum</italic>) host plants. We found that adults preferred to oviposit on <italic>S. tuberosum</italic> and <italic>N. tabacum</italic> leaves and the soil around these native host plants over other hosts. Larvae performed well on <italic>S. tuberosum</italic> and <italic>N. tabacum</italic>, reaching higher pupa weight and having better survival. Larvae performed poorly on <italic>S. melongena</italic>, <italic>S. lycopersicum</italic>, <italic>P. alkekengi</italic>, <italic>D. stramonium</italic>, and <italic>L. barbarum</italic>, with lower pupa weight and lower survival. <italic>Solanum tuberosum</italic> and <italic>N. tabacum</italic> had higher leaf soluble proteins than other plants and lower leaf total phenolics than <italic>S. lycopersicum</italic>, <italic>D. stramonium</italic>, and <italic>L. barbarum</italic>. Moreover, carbon content and soluble protein were positively associated with larval survival, while defensive traits (lignin and total phenolics) negatively affected larval survival. These findings provide insights into understanding of biochemical mechanisms of interactions between invasive insects and host plants, indicating the importance of considering plant chemistry when assessing invasive insect host use and damage.</p>