Exogenous application of α-Ionone and Methyl jasmonate induces metabolite-based response in Alstroemeria and reduces feeding damage by Western Flower Thrips

Abstract

Western Flower Thrips (WFT) (Frankliniella occidentalis) is a major pest threatening ornamental floriculture, including Alstroemeria production. Conventional insecticide-based management is increasingly limited due to the development of resistance and concerns over non-target impacts. Plant defense elicitors such as methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and α-ionone (α-I) represent promising alternatives for priming endogenous metabolic pathways that deter herbivory. However, their roles in metabolite-related Alstroemeria defense activation and associated effects on detoxification-related enzyme activity in thrips remain insufficiently characterized. Thus, exogenous application of defense elicitors in Alstroemeria resulted in consistent reductions in thrips florivory across concentrations and time points, with MeJA at 300 ppm and α-I at 150 ppm showing the strongest and most reproducible antifeedant effects. Thrips feeding on elicitor‑treated tissues exhibited clear, treatment‑dependent variation of detoxification enzyme activity, including glutathione S‑transferases, esterases, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenases. In parallel, untargeted metabolomic analyses clearly distinguished elicitor‑treated plants from controls and revealed pronounced time‑ and tissue‑specific metabolic reprogramming, particularly reflected in the accumulation of phenylpropanoid‑ and flavonoid‑related features. Collectively, these results demonstrate that MeJA and α-I effectively enhance defense responses in Alstroemeria, plausibly constraining WFT feeding. The concordant patterns observed in florivory, insect enzyme activity, and plant metabolite-based responses support the view that elicitor‑driven induction of plant‑derived metabolites contributes to antifeedant effects while simultaneously reshaping dynamics of WFT detoxification enzyme activity. These findings highlight MeJA and α-I as viable elicitors that merit further investigation as components of sustainable thrips management.