Aphids possess flexible life cycles and are therefore capable of acclimatizing to various environmental changes. Their physiological, biochemical, and behavioral responses can easily withstand a wide range of biotic and abiotic stressors. This adaptability trait, however, appears to be highly dependent on the specific aphid species and crop types and varieties. Drought stress can alter the chemical composition of host plants, which can have positive or negative effects on aphid performance or in some cases have no effect. Plants also contain secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and terpenoids that can affect aphid survival. In view of these, the response of aphids to drought stress can be too complex to be deduced from a single hypothesis. The differences in findings among studies are most likely due to variations in plant responses to drought stress and subsequent insect variations in drought stress responses. This can be a major focus of future research to broaden our understanding of plant resistance under changing resource-supply conditions as a result of climate change.
Cite this paper
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