Effect of herbivore load on VOC-mediated plant communication in potato.

VOC emissions increased with herbivore load, but this did not result in concomitant increases in resistance in neighbouring plants, suggesting that communication occurred independently of herbivore load in emitter plants. Herbivore-damaged plants emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can alert neighbours and boost their resistance. While VOC-mediated plant communication has been shown to be herbivore-specific, we know little about its contingency on variation in herbivore load.