Leaf pseudo-variegation: Definition, common types, and probably the defended models for real defensive leaf variegation mimicking them?

: Lev-Yadun S, Niemela P

Publisher: ELSEVIER GMBH, URBAN & FISCHER VERLAG

: 2017

: Flora

: FLORA

: 226

: 82

: 88

: 7

: 0367-2530

: 1618-0585

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2016.11.010

Leaf variegation, the outcome of various genetic, developmental and physiological factors, is a wellknown phenomenon proposed and even shown experimentally to defend plants from herbivory. A visually similar phenomenon that we define as pseudo-variegation is induced in plants by various external biological agents. We propose that pseudo-variegation may defend leaves and other plant organs (and also some of the organisms that induce them) from herbivory by several visual and chemical mechanisms: camouflage, aposematism and by indicating via olfactory cues/signals that the plants are damaged or occupied by herbivores or pathogens. From an evolutionary point of view, because of the common reduced quality as food and in many cases even toxicity for herbivores of leaves expressing pseudo-variegation, as well as because of competition with pathogens and herbivores that arrived earlier, or because of cannibalistic or predatory herbivores, such leaves were probably the defended models that were later mimicked by plants with mutations that caused various variegated phenotypes. Pseudo-variegation types induced by various pathogens and herbivores that actually defend plants from herbivory should be considered the extended phenotypes of both these plants and of the inducers that in this way defend their plant habitat. (C) 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.