[Plant anti-herbivore defense priming: Concept, mechanisms and application]

Abstract

Plant anti-herbivore defense priming refers to the increased readiness of anti-herbivore defense after the initial exposure to a series of biotic or abiotic factors. The primed plants can respond to herbivory more quickly and strongly and thereby show enhanced resistance to insect herbivory. It is a newly recognized strategy of plant defense against insect herbivores. Insect feeding, secretion, oviposition, herbivore-inducible plant volatiles (HIPVs), beneficial microorgani-sms, certain plant nutrient elements, heavy metals and some chemical compounds have been found to be able to prime plant defense. The defense priming is highly efficient, durable, environmental friendly, and even trans-generational. This review summarized current research progress on the plant anti-herbivore defense priming in recent years, and analyzed general characteristics, priming agents and potential mechanisms involved, and proposed the future development and the perspective of practical application in the field. Moreover, the unresolved questions and the research directions in this field were also discussed. Appropriate management of plant defense priming would minimize use of insecticide and serve as an important approach of integrated pest management.

Keywords: induced defense; plant anti-herbivore resistance; primed defense; priming agent.