Open Access

REVIEW

Plant Chemical Defenses against Insect Herbivores—Using the Wild Tobacco as a Model

by Guangwei Sun^1,2,#, Xuanhao Zhang^3,#, Yi Liu³, Liguang Chai², Daisong Liu², Zhenguo Chen^1,*, Shiyou Lü^3,*

1 Hubei Provincial Tobacco Research Institute, Wuhan, 430030, China
2 Shiyan Branch of Hubei Tobacco Company, Shiyan, 442000, China
3 State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China

* Corresponding Authors: Zhenguo Chen. Email: ; Shiyou Lü. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Plant Secondary Metabolism and Functional Biology)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2024, 93(4), 641-659. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2024.049285

Received 02 January 2024; Accepted 15 March 2024; Issue published 29 April 2024

Abstract

The Nicotiana genus, commonly known as tobacco, holds significant importance as a crucial economic crop. Confronted with an abundance of herbivorous insects that pose a substantial threat to yield, tobacco has developed a diverse and sophisticated array of mechanisms, establishing itself as a model of plant ecological defense. This review provides a concise overview of the current understanding of tobacco’s defense strategies against herbivores. Direct defenses, exemplified by its well-known tactic of secreting the alkaloid nicotine, serve as a potent toxin against a broad spectrum of herbivorous pests. Moreover, in response to herbivore attacks, tobacco enhances the discharge of volatile compounds, harnessing an indirect strategy that attracts the predators of the herbivores. The delicate balance between defense and growth leads to the initiation of most defense strategies only after a herbivore attack. Among plant hormones, notably jasmonic acid (JA), play central roles in coordinating these defense processes. JA signaling interacts with other plant hormone signaling pathways to facilitate the extensive transcriptional and metabolic adjustments in plants following herbivore assault. By shedding light on these ecological defense strategies, this review emphasizes not only tobacco’s remarkable adaptability in its natural habitat but also offers insights beneficial for enhancing the resilience of current crops.

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Keywords

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