Clone-specific phenotypic plasticity under constant darkness and competition reveals surprising aphid resilience

Zhe Yang Yim*, Mouhammad Shadi Khudr, Conrado Guerrero Quiles, Hawa Jahan, Abdullatif Alfutimie, Reinmar Hager

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Preprint/Working paperPreprint

Abstract

This preprint describes a striking clone-specific aphid resilience and survival in the absence of light as a Zeitgeber and under competition. Pea and black bean aphids reared on light-deprived faba bean host plant expressed differential reproductive and phenological plasticity that varied across the clones, especially when the target pea aphid clone (N116) was in competition with a conspecific or a heterospecific. Moreover, aphid responses to the complex stress applied varied on a molecular level whereby the expression of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp 70) peaked in the dark particularly in N116 alone and in intraspecific competition. Notable changes in fingerprint metabolites as well as C:N ratio differed across treatments and the conditions of the experiment. This work documents varying aphid resilience, underscoring counterintuitive survival on etiolated host plants that suffered from chlorosis in constant darkness. The insights we provide have implications for exploring previously unknown aspects of phenotypic plasticity and tolerance in aphids, which are crucial to survival in crunching anomalous environments.
Original languageEnglish
VolumeV1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 21 Jun 2022

Publication series

NameZenodo
PublisherCERN

Keywords

  • pea aphid faba bean extreme conditions lack of light-dark rhythmicity black bean aphid phenotypic plasticity intra/interspecific interactions

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