Lack of Effect of Tobacco Mosaic Virus-Induced Systemic Acquired Resistance on Arthropod Herbivores in Tobacco

The nonspecificity of pathogen-induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) of tobacco, cucurbits, and other plants against plant pathogens has led to speculation that cross-resistance might also be afforded to arthropod herbivores. However, we found that inoculation of the lower leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) had no effect on population growth of tobacco aphids (Myzus nicotianae) reared on upper leaves, for which SAR to TMV was active. Newly hatched tobacco hornworms (Manduca sexta) were reared to pupation on upper leaves from TMV-inoculated or control plants (...)