Plants are better protected against spider-mites after exposure to volatiles from infested conspecifics

When infested by herbivorous mites, cotton seedlings produce volatile cues that elicit attraction of predatory mites. Experiments were carried out to elucidate how downwinduninfested conspecific seedlings are affected by these volatiles. It was found that the rate of oviposition of herbivorous mites was reduced on seedlings exposed to volatiles from infested seedlings. Moreover, predatory mites were attracted by exposeduninfested seedlings. These results strongly suggest that uninfested plants are better protected against herbivore attack when exposed to airborne chemicals released by their infested neighbours.

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