Field identification of cowpea variety resistance against Megalurothrips usitatus and the metabolomics-based resistance mechanism

doi:10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.007

2026, Vol. 25

Issue (4): 0- DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2025.05.007

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Field identification of cowpea variety resistance against Megalurothrips usitatus and the metabolomics-based resistance mechanism

Yunchuan He^{1, 2, 3}, Yang Gao^{1, 2}, Qiulin Chen^{1, 2}, Zheyi Shi^{1, 2}, Hainuo Hong^{1, 2}, Jiamei Geng^{1, 2}, Ying Zhou^1#, Zengrong Zhu^{1, 2}

¹Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya 572025, China

²State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China

³ Naval Medical Center, People's Liberation Army of China (PLA), Shanghai 200433, China

Highlights

l Megalurothrips usitatus-resistant and susceptible cowpea varieties were identified.

l Flavonoid synthesis in cowpea pods was induced by thrips feeding.

l Luteolin might be the key specialized metabolite for cowpea resistance to M. usitatus.

Abstract
References

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摘要

大蓟马（Megalurothrips usitatus）对中国海南省豇豆产业造成重大经济损失，但全球范围内关于抗大蓟马品种的报道仍然有限。本研究通过连续两年的田间试验评估了210份豇豆种质资源的抗虫性，并深入研究了筛选出的抗性品种IZJU0044的抗虫机制。生理指标测定表明，和感虫品种IZJU0120相比，抗虫品种IZJU0044在蓟马取食前后的总黄酮和单宁含量，以及脂氧合酶和β-1,3-葡聚糖酶活性均较高。蓟马取食显著诱导豇豆花中黄酮类物质的生物合成，其中抗虫品种IZJU0044的组成型与诱导型木犀草素含量均显著高于感虫品种IZJU0120。室内毒力测定初步表明木犀草素对普通大蓟马具有致死作用。进一步研究发现，蓟马取食强烈诱导IZJU0044中木犀草素合成相关基因（查尔酮异构酶，CHIs）的表达，表明木犀草素可能是该品种抗虫性的关键物质。本研究为抗蓟马品种的分子育种提供了理论依据。

Abstract

Megalurothrips usitatus causes significant economic losses in the regional cowpea industry in Hainan province, China. However, reports on M. usitatus-resistant varieties remain limited globally. To address this gap, this study assessed the resistance of 210 cowpea germplasm resources through field experiments over two consecutive years, and comprehensively investigated the resistance mechanism of a selected resistant variety against M. usitatus. Physiological measurements revealed that the resistant variety IZJU0044 had higher levels of total flavonoids and tannins, as well as lipoxygenase and β-1,3-glucanase activities, both before and after thrips feeding. Thrips feeding stimulated flavonoid biosynthesis in cowpea flowers, and the contents of both constitutive and inducible luteolin in the resistant variety IZJU0044 were higher than those in the susceptible variety IZJU0120. Laboratory toxicity tests confirmed the lethal effect of luteolin on thrips. Moreover, thrips feeding strongly induced luteolin synthesis-related genes (chalcone isomerases, CHIs) in IZJU0044, indicating that luteolin likely conferred higher resistance to M. usitatus. This study provides a theoretical basis for using thrips-resistant varieties in cowpea molecular breeding programs.

Keywords: cowpea Megalurothrips usitatus resistance evaluation specialized metabolites

Online: 14 May 2025

Fund:

This work was supported by Sanya Science and Technology Innovation Project, China (2022KJCX19), the Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (323RC521), the Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund, China (ZDYF2021XDNY302) and the Encouragement Cultivation Program of Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, China (0211-6602-A12201).

About author: Yunchuan He, E-mail: heyunchuan@zju.edu.cm; #Correspondence Ying Zhou, E-mail: yzhyzb@zju.edu.cn

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Yunchuan He, Yang Gao, Qiulin Chen, Zheyi Shi, Hainuo Hong, Jiamei Geng, Ying Zhou, Zengrong Zhu. 2026. Field identification of cowpea variety resistance against Megalurothrips usitatus and the metabolomics-based resistance mechanism. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(4): 0-.

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