Chemical Ecology

Rhizobia are soil bacteria, which symbiotically interact with plants of the Fabaceae. The bacteria colonise the plant roots by forming so-called nodules, fix atmospheric nitrogen and deliver nitrogen-containing compounds to their hosts, being provided with carbon-based metabolites in return. The additional nitrogen input can not only enhance the crop yield, but probably also influences plant chemistry. In this project, we investigate the influences of the interaction with rhizobia on plant morphology and biochemistry of different agricultural and model plant species. Therefore, effects on the leaf and on the phloem sap metabolome are examined. Because a modification of plant chemistry probably also affects plant antagonists, plant-mediated effects on the performance of herbivores with different feeding modes are explored as well.