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Chemical Defense Mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana Against Insect Herbivory: The Role of Glucosinolate Hydrolysis Products

Majorczyk, Alexis M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1249513273

Abstract Details

2009, Master of Science (MS), Bowling Green State University, Biological Sciences.
Pest control is a main concern for farmers all over the world. As the negative effects of various pesticides become better known, searching for alternative methods is quickly becoming a priority. The model organism Arabidopsis thaliana is ideal for such studies as it utilizes the same glucosinolate chemicals for defense as other plants in the Brassicaceae family, many of which are cash crops. Various recombinant inbred lines, mutants, and transgenic lines of two natural ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana (i.e., Columbia and Landsberg) were used in this study to test if herbivore impacts to plants could be accounted for by variations in the glucosinolate hydrolysis profiles (i.e., isothiocyanates versus nitriles) of this plant species. In addition, the role of indolyl glucosinolates in herbivore deterrence was also evaluated. For this purpose, a series of split-plot field experiments were performed, which included two herbivory levels (i.e., natural insect herbivory and sprayed controls) and sets of four genotypes nested within the herbivory treatment. Days to first flowering, days to first damage, amount of rosette and stem damage to the plant, as well as total fruit number (as an estimate of fitness) were recorded. Overall, results indicated that isothiocyanates tended to be more effective than nitriles at reducing insect herbivory. In addition, there was a trend suggesting that higher levels of isothiocyanates were more effective against insect herbivory than reduced or no levels of these chemicals. These results highlight the importance of glucosinolate hydrolysis products in determining insect herbivory levels and thus, plant performance, in natural settings.
M. Gabriela Bidart-Bouzat, PhD (Advisor)
Juan L. Bouzat, PhD (Committee Member)
Dan Pavuk, PhD (Committee Member)
56 p.
Biology
Arabidopsis thaliana; glucosinolate hydrolysis products; plant-insect interactions; plant defense mechanisms;

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Citations

  • Majorczyk, A. M. (2009). Chemical Defense Mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana Against Insect Herbivory: The Role of Glucosinolate Hydrolysis Products [Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1249513273

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Majorczyk, Alexis. Chemical Defense Mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana Against Insect Herbivory: The Role of Glucosinolate Hydrolysis Products. 2009. Bowling Green State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1249513273.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Majorczyk, Alexis. "Chemical Defense Mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana Against Insect Herbivory: The Role of Glucosinolate Hydrolysis Products." Master's thesis, Bowling Green State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1249513273

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by Bowling Green State University and OhioLINK.