C-10-4

PLANT RESPONSES TO STRESS.

Alastair J. Hick, John A. Pickett, and Lester J. Wadhams
IACR-Rothamsted, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ


Plants have evolved many defence mechanisms based on the productionof secondary metabolites, some of which can be induced by plant stress,or by use of synthetic elicitors. Phytophagous insects have evolved toovercome various of these defence mechanisms, and often use these secondarymetabolites in host plant location. We are developing strategies to manipulatethe plant response to stress using elicitors and genetic engineering targetedat specific plant secondary metabolic pathways. This will alter secondarymetabolite production, and hence the profile of volatiles associated witha plant. Using these changes in volatile production we are attempting tomanipulate insect populations based on their responses to specific plantvolatiles. Examples will be given of our progress in this area to date.