Parasitoid response to herbivore induced plant volatiles: a meta-analysis.

Abstract

International audienceIn reaction to herbivore attack, plants attract herbivores’ natural enemies by emitting a chemical signal. Based on a litterature review, we documented the response of parasitoids to these Herbivore Induced Plant Volatiles (HIPV): the behavior of 60 parasitoid species was characterized, and general patterns emerged between the way parasitoids respond to HIPV, and some ecological characteristics of the species. Contrary to what was expected according to the concept of dietary specialization and infochemical use (Vet and Dicke, 1992), parasitoids of herbivores that feed on a reduced diversity of plants do not respond more innately to HIPV than more generalist parasitoids. However, parasitoids of adult herbivores tend to respond less innately than larval or pupal parasitoids. According to response specificity, as was predicted by Vet and Dicke (1992), parasitoids with a broad host range tends to respond less specifically to HIPV than do specialist parasitoids