Hemipterans (eg., aphids, whiteflies, planthoppers, and leafhoppers) comprise a large group of insect pests of plants that use their piercing mouthparts to consume fluids from the host, and in the process affect plant physiology, growth and development. Many hemipterans also vector plant pathogens, and the relationship between each organismal pair affects the overall outcome of this biological interaction. Endosymbionts contained within the hemipteran insect, as well as the interaction between the hemipteran and its predator(s), and between the host plant and the predator(s) further impact this network of biological interactions. Advances made in understanding these interactions at the physiological, molecular and ecological level are beginning to provide basic knowledge that will have far-reaching implications at different levels, including novel strategies for plant protection against the insect, as well as the vectored pathogen. This Research Topic on ‘Advances in Plant-Hemipteran Interactions’ aims to bring together a collection of research articles and reviews that target different levels of these interactions and address the following questions:
How do plants control hemipteran infestation, including how plants recognize hemipterans, the elicitors and signaling mechanisms, and the genes and regulatory mechanisms involved, and the mechanisms that deter insect feeding and fecundity?
How do hemipterans manipulate host metabolism to facilitate infestation, including the effectors involved, as well as the targets in the host plant?
How does the interaction between the hemipteran and the (i) endosymbiont, (ii) the pathogen it vectors, as well as (iii) its predator(s), impact the overall outcome of the multi-organism interaction at the physiological, molecular and ecological level?
What are the efforts underway to promote plant resistance against hemipterans?
How does the hemipteran adapt to the secondary metabolite defenses of host plants?
What are the tools and technologies that are furthering our efforts to address the above listed questions?
This Research Topic will thus provide a comprehensive understanding of factors that influence plant-hemipteran interactions.
Hemipterans (eg., aphids, whiteflies, planthoppers, and leafhoppers) comprise a large group of insect pests of plants that use their piercing mouthparts to consume fluids from the host, and in the process affect plant physiology, growth and development. Many hemipterans also vector plant pathogens, and the relationship between each organismal pair affects the overall outcome of this biological interaction. Endosymbionts contained within the hemipteran insect, as well as the interaction between the hemipteran and its predator(s), and between the host plant and the predator(s) further impact this network of biological interactions. Advances made in understanding these interactions at the physiological, molecular and ecological level are beginning to provide basic knowledge that will have far-reaching implications at different levels, including novel strategies for plant protection against the insect, as well as the vectored pathogen. This Research Topic on ‘Advances in Plant-Hemipteran Interactions’ aims to bring together a collection of research articles and reviews that target different levels of these interactions and address the following questions:
How do plants control hemipteran infestation, including how plants recognize hemipterans, the elicitors and signaling mechanisms, and the genes and regulatory mechanisms involved, and the mechanisms that deter insect feeding and fecundity?
How do hemipterans manipulate host metabolism to facilitate infestation, including the effectors involved, as well as the targets in the host plant?
How does the interaction between the hemipteran and the (i) endosymbiont, (ii) the pathogen it vectors, as well as (iii) its predator(s), impact the overall outcome of the multi-organism interaction at the physiological, molecular and ecological level?
What are the efforts underway to promote plant resistance against hemipterans?
How does the hemipteran adapt to the secondary metabolite defenses of host plants?
What are the tools and technologies that are furthering our efforts to address the above listed questions?
This Research Topic will thus provide a comprehensive understanding of factors that influence plant-hemipteran interactions.