AUTHOR=Dematheis Flavia , Kurtz Benedikt , Vidal Stefan , Smalla Kornelia 

TITLE=Multitrophic interactions among Western Corn Rootworm, Glomus intraradices and microbial communities in the rhizosphere and endorhiza of maize

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=4

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2013.00357

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2013.00357

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>The complex interactions among the maize pest Western Corn Rootworm (WCR), <italic>Glomus intraradices</italic> (<italic>GI</italic>—recently renamed <italic>Rhizophagus intraradices</italic>) and the microbial communities in both rhizosphere and endorhiza of maize have been investigated in view of new pest control strategies. In a greenhouse experiment, different maize treatments were established: C (control plants), W (plants inoculated with WCR), G (plants inoculated with <italic>GI</italic>), GW (plants inoculated with <italic>GI</italic> and WCR). After 20 days of WCR root feeding, larval fitness was measured. Dominant arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in soil and maize endorhiza were analyzed by cloning of 18S rRNA gene fragments of AMF, restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing. Bacterial and fungal communities in the rhizosphere and endorhiza were investigated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA gene and ITS fragments, PCR amplified from total community DNA, respectively. <italic>GI</italic> reduced significantly WCR larval development and affected the naturally occurring endorhiza AMF and bacteria. WCR root feeding influenced the endorhiza bacteria as well. <italic>GI</italic> can be used in integrated pest management programs, rendering WCR larvae more susceptible to predation by natural enemies. The mechanisms behind the interaction between <italic>GI</italic> and WCR remain unknown. However, our data suggested that <italic>GI</italic> might act indirectly via plant-mediated mechanisms influencing the endorhiza microbial communities.</p>