A maize landrace that emits defense volatiles in response to herbivore eggs possesses a strongly inducible terpene synthase gene.

ABSTRACT: Maize (Zea mays) emits volatile terpenes in response to insect feeding and egg deposition to defend itself against harmful pests. However, maize cultivars differ strongly in their ability to produce the defense signal. To further understand the agroecological role and underlying genetic mechanisms for variation in terpene emission among maize cultivars, we studied the production of an important signaling component (E)-caryophyllene in a South American maize landrace Braz1006 possessing stemborer Chilo partellus egg inducible defense trait, in comparison with the European maize line Delprim and North American inbred line B73. The (E)-caryophyllene production level and transcript abundance of TPS23, terpene synthase responsible for (E)-caryoph

SUBMITTER: Tamiru A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5395458 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature