AUTHOR=Du Ewei , Chen Yaping , Li Yahong , Zhang Fengjuan , Sun Zhongxiang , Hao Ruoshi , Gui Furong 

TITLE=Effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the responses of Ageratina adenophora to Aphis gossypii herbivory

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.1015947

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2022.1015947

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>The invasive weed <italic>Ageratina adenophora</italic> can form a positive symbiotic relationship with native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to promote its invasion ability. However, the function of AMF during the feeding of <italic>Aphis gossypii</italic> in <italic>A. adenophora</italic> was poorly understand. This study aimed to investigate the effects of two dominant AMF (<italic>Claroideoglomus etunicatum and Septoglomus constrictum</italic>) on <italic>A. adenophora</italic> in response to the feeding of the generalist herbivore <italic>A. gossypii</italic>. The results showed that <italic>A. gossypii</italic> infestation could significantly reduce the biomass, nutrient and proline contents <italic>of A. adenophora</italic>, and increase the antioxidant enzyme activities, defense hormone and secondary metabolite contents of the weed. Compared with the <italic>A. gossypii</italic> infested <italic>A. adenophora</italic>, inoculation <italic>C</italic>. <italic>etunicatum and S</italic>. <italic>constrictum</italic> could significantly promote the growth ability and enhanced the resistance of <italic>A. adenophora</italic> to <italic>A. gossypii</italic> infestation, and the aboveground biomass of <italic>A. adenophora</italic> increased by 317.21% and 114.73%, the root biomass increased by 347.33% and 120.58%, the polyphenol oxidase activity heightened by 57.85% and 12.62%, the jasmonic acid content raised by 13.49% and 4.92%, the flavonoid content increased by 27.29% and 11.92%, respectively. The survival rate of <italic>A. gossypii</italic> and density of nymphs were significantly inhibited by AMF inoculation, and the effect of <italic>C. etunicatum</italic> was significantly greater than that of <italic>S. constrictum</italic>. This study provides clarified evidence that AMF in the rhizosphere of <italic>A. adenophora</italic> are effective in the development of tolerance and chemical defense under the feeding pressure of insect herbivory, and offer references for the management of the <italic>A. adenophora</italic> from the perspective of soil microorganisms.</p>