Mechanisms of Trichomes and Terpene Compounds in Indigenous and Commercial Thai Rice Varieties against Brown Planthopper

Phawini Khetnon; Kanungnid Busarakam; Wissarut Sukhaket; Cholticha Niwaspragrit; Wintai Kamolsukyeunyong; Naoto Kamata; Sunisa Sanguansub

doi:10.3390/insects13050427

Mechanisms of Trichomes and Terpene Compounds in Indigenous and Commercial Thai Rice Varieties against Brown Planthopper

Insects. 2022 May 1;13(5):427. doi: 10.3390/insects13050427.

Authors

Phawini Khetnon^{1

2}, Kanungnid Busarakam³, Wissarut Sukhaket^{2

4}, Cholticha Niwaspragrit², Wintai Kamolsukyeunyong⁵, Naoto Kamata^{1

6}, Sunisa Sanguansub¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture at Kamphaeng Saen, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand.
² Expert Centre of Innovative Agriculture, TISTR Technopolis, Khlong Ha, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
³ Biodiversity Research Centre, TISTR Technopolis, Khlong Ha, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
⁴ School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
⁵ National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), 113 Thailand Science Park, Phahonyothin Road, Khlong Nueng, Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand.
⁶ The University of Tokyo Chiba Forest, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kamogawa, Chiba 299-5503, Japan.

Abstract

Plant trichomes generally act as a physical defense against herbivore attacks and are present in a variety of plants, including rice plants. This research examined the physical and chemical defenses of rice plants against the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae). A total of 10 rice varieties were used in this study. An electron microscope was used to observe trichomes. Constitutive and induced volatile compound profiles were assessed using GC-MS analyses. The preference of BPH for volatiles from the 10 rice plants was tested using a two-choice arena olfactometer system. The density of prickle trichomes had a negative relationship with the BPH injury level. Without BPH infestation, the volatile of the most resistant rice variety (Rathu Heenati (RH)) was preferred by BPH than those of the other varieties, with the exception of Gled Plah Chawn. However, the relative BPH preference for volatiles from the RH variety decreased during BPH infestation. When rice plants were infested by BPH, the numbers of VOCs and these quantities decreased. In the RH variety, the emission of essentities found without BPH infestation ceased during infestation by BPH. During the BPH infestation, rice plants started to emit new VOCs that were not detected before the BPH infestation started. In conclusion, we discovered that rice plants defended against BPH by changing VOC components during BPH infestation and β-Sesquiphellandrene was likely the most effective component.

Keywords: brown planthopper; rice; trichome; volatile organic compound.

Grants and funding

This research is supported in part by the Partnership Program in Production of Graduates in master’s degree and doctoral degrees between Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) and Educational institutions. This work was supported by the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) (Grant number P-18-52711) and JSPS Core-to-Core Program (grant number: JPJSCCB-2019-0007).