Dr. Fiona L. Goggin, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Department of Entomology
Tuesday, 11:00am 210 Bessey Hall
Co-sponsored by Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology, and Plant Sciences Institute
Abstract: Sap feeding herbivores such as aphids and root-knot nematodes can cause massive physiological changes in their host plant, including galling, stunting, yield losses, and even death. Host plant resistance represents one of the most effective means of managing these damaging pests, but much work is still needed to understand the physiological or molecular basis of plant responses to vascular herbivory. Using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and Arabidopsis thaliana as model systems to investigate this question, we have found that fatty acid metabolism in plants plays a major role in modulating plant defenses against vascular herbivory. We are also utilizing high throughput phenotyping approaches to explore the interconnections linking herbivore resistance with plant defenses against other biotic and abiotic stresses.