The Phytopathogen Modifies the Intestinal Morphology of the Sugarcane Borer.

Background: In tropical sugarcane crops, the fungus , the agent responsible for the occurrence of the red rot complex, occurs in association with the sugarcane borer . This fungus, in addition to being transmitted vertically, can manipulate both the insect and the plant for its own dissemination in the field. Due to the complex interaction between and , and the high incidence of the fungus in the intestinal region, our objective was to investigate whether could alter the intestinal structure of the insect.

Sugarcane multitrophic interactions: Integrating belowground and aboveground organisms.

Sugarcane is a crop of major importance used mainly for sugar and biofuel production, and many additional applications of its byproducts are being developed. Sugarcane cultivation is plagued by many insect pests and pathogens that reduce sugarcane yields overall. Recently emerging studies have shown complex multitrophic interactions in cultivated areas, such as the induction of sugarcane defense-related proteins by insect herbivory that function against fungal pathogens that commonly appear after mechanical damage.

Colletotrichum falcatum modulates the olfactory behavior of the sugarcane borer, favoring pathogen infection.

Some pathogens can manipulate their host plants and insects to optimize their fitness, increasing the attraction of insects to the infected plant in ways that facilitate pathogen acquisition. In tropical American sugarcane crops, the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum, the red rot causal agent, usually occurs in association with the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis, resulting in large losses of this crop. Considering this association, we aimed to identify the effects of C.

Fungal phytopathogen modulates plant and insect responses to promote its dissemination.

Vector-borne plant pathogens often change host traits to manipulate vector behavior in a way that favors their spread. By contrast, infection by opportunistic fungi does not depend on vectors, although damage caused by an herbivore may facilitate infection. Manipulation of hosts and vectors, such as insect herbivores, has not been demonstrated in interactions with fungal pathogens.