【學術亮點】Does the gall-forming cecidomyiid enhance host plant leaves and their phytochemicals? A case study of Bruggmanniella litseae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)
Ecological Agriculture: Reduce Greenhouse Gases of Agriculture【Department of Life Sciences / Huang, Meng-Yuan / Associate Professor】
生態農業：農業溫室氣體減量【生命科學系/黃盟元副教授】
| 論文篇名 | 英文：Does the gall-forming cecidomyiid enhance host plant leaves and their phytochemicals? A case study of Bruggmanniella litseae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) 中文：癭蚋是否能促進宿主葉片的生長與次級代謝物？以 Bruggmanniella litseae 為例 |
| 期刊名稱 | Arthropod-Plant Interactions |
| 發表年份,卷數,起迄頁數 | 2025, 19, no.78 |
| 作者 | Wang, Charles Ko-Hsuan; Lin, Sheng-Feng; Ting, Hieng-Ming; Yang, Man-Miao; Huang, Meng-Yuan(黃盟元)* |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11829-025-10184-8 |
| 中文摘要 | 癭蚋類昆蟲能操控宿主植物的生理與形態，是研究昆蟲—植物交互作用的理想系統。本研究以 Bruggmanniella litseae 所誘發的長葉木薑子 (Litsea acuminata) 葉癭為對象，分析不同癭密度下葉片大小與五種植物化學性狀的變化。 結果顯示，帶癭葉片顯著大於未癭葉，且葉面積隨癭數增加而增大（約 4000 mm²），暗示宿主可能被操控以滿足癭蚋的營養需求。多酚含量隨癭數上升而增加，可能經由促進 IAA 合成、刺激細胞分化與生長，支撐較大葉面積。儘管多酚通常與防禦有關，但不同癭密度間葉片被食比例並無顯著差異。 整體而言，高癭密度與葉片變大及多酚提升相關，顯示此癭蚋可能藉宿主生理重編程優化光合作用與營養平衡，以利癭體發育。 |
| 英文摘要 | Gall-inducing insects manipulate host plant physiology and morphology, offering a unique system to explore insect–plant interactions. In this study, we investigated the effects of Bruggmanniella litseae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) galls on the performance of its host plant, Litsea acuminata, by examining variation in leaf size and five phytochemical traits across different gall abundances. Our results show that galled leaves are significantly larger than ungalled ones, with leaf size increasing with gall abundance—up to a threshold of approximately 4000 mm2—suggesting possible host manipulation to meet the nutritional requirement of the gall inducer. Among the phytochemicals examined, polyphenol content increased with gall abundance. This may support larger leaf size via polyphenol-enhanced auxin (IAA) synthesis, promoting cell differentiation and growth. Contrary to expectations, no significant different was found between gall abundance and folivory, despite elevated polyphenol levels, which are typically associated with herbivore defense. Overall, higher gall densities of B. litseae are associated with increased leaf size and polyphenol levels, which may represent a strategy to optimize host photosynthesis and maintain nutritional homeostasis for gall development. |
| 發表成果與本中心研究主題相關性 | 研究 Bruggmanniella litseae 癭蚊與宿主木薑子之交互作用，顯示癭誘導對葉片光合特性與多酚累積的正向調節。 此成果有助於理解昆蟲介導植物代謝調控及其潛在於天然物開發與生態系功能維持之角色。 |
