Successful gall induction on wild roses by gall wasps under lab conditions

Abstract

Abstract Plant galls are unique outgrowths caused by various organisms, including insects, serving as nourishment for the inducer's larvae. Despite the taxonomists and ecologists attempts to elucidate the mechanisms behind plant gall formation, its understanding is still incomplete. Modern genetic techniques allow in‐depth analysis of the molecular processes, but variations across species entangle the analysis. Establishing laboratory‐friendly plant–gall inducer communities is crucial, yet past attempts have faced challenges. Our study partly aimed to create a laboratory community involving wild roses (Rosa sp.) and rose gall wasps belonging to the genus Diplolepis as gall‐inducing insects. Controlled indoor conditions were optimized for plant growth. Wild roses were transplanted, then exposed to gall inducers, and monitored. Successfully initialized gall growth was measured and analysed, revealing insights into the impact of plant vigour on gall size as a secondary aim. Our study successfully established a novel laboratory community for further research on gall formation mechanisms.