The pathogen causing Dutch elm disease makes host trees attract insect vectors


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Authors: McLeod, G; Gries, R; von Reuss, SH; Rahe, JE; McIntosh, R; Konig, WA; Gries, G
Year: 2005
Journal: Proc Roy Soc B-Biol Sci 272: 2499-2503
Title: The pathogen causing Dutch elm disease makes host trees attract insect vectors
Abstract: Dutch elm disease is caused by the fungal pathogen Ophiostoma novo-ulmi which is transmitted by the native elm bark beetle, Hylurgopinus rufipes. We have found that four semiochemicals (the monoterpene (-)- beta-pinene and the sesquiterpenes (-)-alpha-cubebene, (+)-spiroaxa-5,7-diene and (+)-delta-cadinene) from diseased American elms, Ulmus americana, synergistically attract H. rufipes, and that sesquiterpene emission is upregulated in elm trees inoculated with O. novo-ulmi. The fungus thus manipulates host trees to enhance their apparency to foraging beetles, a strategy that increases the probability of transportation the pathogen to new hosts.
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