Gut microbiota variation drives differential performance in leaf beetles across host plants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Host plant significantly influences herbivorous insect fitness, while plant-mediated gut microbiota are recognized as a key determinant of insect performance. However, to what extent the differential performance of herbivorous insects on various plants is attributed to plant properties versus plant-mediated gut microbiota remains less clear.

Results

Here, we initially observed that the leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora preferred and exhibited superior performance on Salix babylonica compared with three other host plants. Intriguingly, eliminating larval gut microbiota abolished this preference-performance relationship, resulting in the loss of superior performance on S. babylonica. Further analysis of the larval gut microbiota revealed that Rosenbergiella nectare

SUBMITTER: Li X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12764001 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature