cyanogenesis of wild lima bean (phaseolus lunatus l.) is an efficient direct defence in naturecyanogenesis野生利马豆(种豆科l .).pdfVIP

Cyanogenesis of Wild Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) Is an Efficient Direct Defence in Nature 1 1 1,2 3 Daniel J. Ballhorn *, Stefanie Kautz , Martin Heil , Adrian D. Hegeman ¨ ´ ´ 1 Department of General Botany – Plant Ecology, Universitat Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany, 2 Departamento de Ingenierıa Genetica, CINVESTAV – Irapuato, Guanajuato, ´ Mexico, 3 Department of Horticultural Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America Abstract In natural systems plants face a plethora of antagonists and thus have evolved multiple defence strategies. Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) is a model plant for studies of inducible indirect anti-herbivore defences including the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and extrafloral nectar (EFN). In contrast, studies on direct chemical defence mechanisms as crucial components of lima beans’ defence syndrome under natural conditions are nonexistent. In this study, we focus on the cyanogenic potential (HCNp; concentration of cyanogenic glycosides) as a crucial parameter determining lima beans’ cyanogenesis, i.e. the release of toxic hydrogen cyanide from preformed precursors. Quantitative variability of cyanogenesis in a natural population of wild lima bean in Mexico was significantly correlated with missing leaf area. Since existing correlations do not by necessity mean causal associations, the function of cyanogenesis as efficient plant defence was subsequently analysed in feeding trials. We used natural chrysomel