Chemical interaction between undamaged plants--effects on herbivores and natural enemies.

Most research on plant-plant chemical interactions has focussed on events following herbivore or pathogen attack. However, undamaged plants also interact chemically as a natural facet of their behaviour, and this may have consequences for insects that use the plants as hosts. In this review, the links between allelopathy and insect behaviour are outlined. Findings on how chemical interactions between different plant species and genotypes affect aphid herbivores and their natural enemies are reviewed, and the role of plant diversity and chemical interaction for trophic interactions in crops is discussed.