Age-specific allocation of glucosinolates within plant reproductive tissues.

The Optimal Defense Theory (ODT) predicts that the distribution of defenses within a plant should mirror the value and vulnerability of each tissue. Although the ODT has received much experimental support, very few studies have examined defense allocation among reproductive tissues and none assessed simultaneously how these defenses evolve with age. We quantified glucosinolates in perianths, anthers and pistils at different bud maturity stages (i.

A protocol for increased throughput phenotyping of plant resistance to the pollen beetle.

Background: Improving crop resistance to insect herbivores is a major research objective in breeding programs. Although genomic technologies have increased the speed at which large populations can be genotyped, breeding programs still suffer from phenotyping constraints. The pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aeneus) is a major pest of oilseed rape for which no resistant cultivar is available to date, but previous studies have highlighted the potential of white mustard as a source of resistance and introgression of this resistance appears to be a promising strategy.

Oviposition Preference of the Cabbage Root Fly towards Some Chinese Cabbage Cultivars: A Search for Future Trap Crop Candidates.

The development of integrated pest management strategies becomes more and more pressing in view of potential harmful effects of synthetic pesticides on the environment and human health. A promising alternative strategy against is the use of trap crops. Chinese cabbage ( subsp.