Additive genetic effects in interacting species jointly determine the outcome of caterpillar herbivory.

ABSTRACT: Plant-insect interactions are common and important in basic and applied biology. Trait and genetic variation can affect the outcome and evolution of these interactions, but the relative contributions of plant and insect genetic variation and how these interact remain unclear and are rarely subject to assessment in the same experimental context. Here, we address this knowledge gap using a recent host-range expansion onto alfalfa by the Melissa blue butterfly. Common garden rearing experiments and genomic data show that caterpillar performance depends on plant and insect genetic variation, with insect genetics contributing to performance earlier in development and plant genetics later. Our models of performance based on caterpillar genetics retained predictive power when applied to a second

SUBMITTER: Gompert Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9456756 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature