Reduced Chitinase Activities in Ant Plants of the Genus Macaranga |
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Authors: | Martin Heil Brigitte Fiala K Eduard Linsenmair Thomas Boller |
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Institution: | Lehrstuhl für Zoologie III, Theodor-Boveri-Institut, Biozentrum, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany, DE Institut für Botanik, Hebelstasse 1, Universit?t Basel, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland, CH
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Abstract: | Many plant species have evolved mutualistic associations with ants, protecting their host against detrimental influences
such as herbivorous insects. Letourneau (1998) reported in the case of Piper that ants defend their plants principally against stem-boring insects and also reduce fungal infections on inflorescences.
Macaranga plants that were experimentally deprived of their symbiotic Crematogaster ants suffered heavily from shoot borers and pathogenic fungi (Heil 1998). Here we report that ants seem to reduce fungal infections
actively in the obligate myrmecophyte Macaranga
triloba (Euphorbiaceae), while ant-free plants can be easily infected. We also found extremely low chitinase activity in Macaranga plants. The plants' own biochemical defense seems to be reduced, and low chitinase activity perhaps may represent a predisposition
for the evolution of myrmecophytism. These plants are therefore highly dependent on their ants, which obviously function not
only as an antiherbivore defense but also as an effective agent against fungal pathogens.
Received: 5 August 1998 / Accepted in revised form: 18 November 1998 |
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