Copper-induced transgenerational plasticity in plant defence boosts
aphid fitness
Abstract
Transgenerational plasticity in plants is an increasingly recognized
phenomenon, yet it is mostly unclear whether transgenerational
plasticity is relevant to both the fitness of the plant and its
interacting species. Using monoclonal strains of the giant duckweed (
Spirodela polyrhiza) and its native herbivore, the waterlily
aphid ( Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae), we assessed whether
pre-treating plants with copper excess, both indoors and outdoors,
induces transgenerational plasticity in plant defences that alter plant
and herbivore fitness. Outdoors, copper pre-treatment tended to increase
plant growth rates under recurring copper excess. Indoors, copper
pre-treatment either increased or decreased plant growth rates under
recurring conditions, depending on the plant genotype. Copper
pre-treatment induced anthocyanins that protected plants against copper
toxicity, and these elevated levels were transgenerationally retained.
Copper pre-treatment also transgenerationally increased the levels of
12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), a jasmonate precursor. Nevertheless,
aphids grew up to 50% better when the plants were pre-treated with
copper. The increased aphid growth was likely caused by
transgenerationally elevated OPDA levels, as aphids grew better when
jasmonates were externally applied to plants. Taken together, this study
shows that transgenerational plasticity is relevant to both plant and
herbivore fitness, which highlights the role of transgenerational
plasticity in plant evolution and species interactions.