4) Prof. Oz Barazani

Populations of Eruca sativa from desert and Mediterranean habitats in Israel, differ in induced defense against herbivores, and in floral attraction traits. Observational studies indicated that in the dense Mediterranean annual plant community plants are mainly exposed to generalist herbivores, while the specialist diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (DBM) is the prominent herbivore at the desert habitat, where E. sativa grows in almost complete monoculture. Integrating various approaches, our eco-evolutionary study demonstrates on the role of biotic interactions in shaping genomic variation between the desert and Mediterranean ecotypes. Specifically, glucosinolates and their hydrolyzed products govern defense against herbivores in the Mediterranean plants, while volatile emission influence oviposition preference of adult DBM, thereby reducing the likelihood of herbivory by DBM in the desert plants. Moreover, cream and yellow petals of the desert and Mediterranean ecotypes were exclusively associated with the emission of veratrole and methyl benzoate, respectively. These phenotypic differences, linked to honeybees and DBM foraging preferences, respectively, provided evidence that floral attraction traits have evolved to mediate mutualistic interactions. Thus, this comprehensive ecological study enhances our understanding of adaptive genetic differentiation by providing evidence for complex co-evolutionary adaptations to both specialist and generalist insects in antagonistic and mutualistic contexts.