Emission of Plutella xylostella-Induced Compounds from Cabbages Grown at Elevated CO2 and Orientation Behavior of the Natural Enemies

Abstract

Abstract Several plant species defend themselves indirectly from herbivores by producing herbivore-induced volatile compounds that attract the natural enemies of herbivores. Here we tested the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 (720 μmol mol−1) concentration on this indirect defense, physiological properties, and constitutive and induced emissions of white cabbage (Brassica oleracea ssp. capitata, cvs Lennox and Rinda). We monitored the orientation behavior of the generalist predator Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) and the specialist parasitoid Cotesia plutellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to plants damaged by Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in the Y-tube olfactometer. Elevated CO2 levels did not affect stomatal densities but reduced specific leaf area and increased leaf thickness in cv Lennox. In addition to enhanced constitutive monoterpene emission, P. xylostella-damaged cabbages emitted homoterpene (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, sesquiterpene (E,E)-α-farnesene, and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. Growth at elevated CO2 had no significant effect on the emissions expressed per leaf area, while minor reduction in the emission of homoterpene (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene and (E,E)-α-farnesene was observed at elevated CO2 in one of two experiments. The generalist predator P. maculiventris discriminated only between the odors of intact and P. xylostella-damaged cv Rinda plants grown at ambient CO2 concentration, preferring the odor of the damaged plants. The specialist parasitoid C. plutellae preferred the odor of damaged plants of both cultivars grown at ambient CO2 but did not detect damaged cv Lennox plants grown at elevated CO2. The results suggest that elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration could weaken the plant response induced by insect herbivore feeding and thereby lead to a disturbance of signaling to the third trophic level.