The effect of spermine on Tetranychus urticae-Cucumis sativus interaction

BACKGROUND: Two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) is one of the most important plant pests in the world. Due to increased resistance of mites to acaricides, it is necessary to use other methods such as inducing resistance in plants by natural compounds for pests' management. Polyamins such as spermine are effective in increasing plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors. In this research, the effect of spermine treatments in cucumber plants on life table parameters of T. urticae was investigated. Also, top-down effect of spermine and T. urticae on cucumber biochemical parameters was measured. In the experiments, 1, 2 and 3 mM spermine concentrations were used. RESULTS: Amongst the spermine treatments, those mites that fed on cucumbers which received 1 mM spermine showed the shortest protonymphal period and higher ovipositon period, fecundity, gross and net reproductive rates and life expectancy compare to control. Treatment with 2 mM spermine lead to the longest teleochrysalis period and shortest range of age-stage-specific fecundity period. In addition, 2 mM spermine lowered intrinsic and finite rate of population increase in T. urticae. The longest larval period of T. urticae was observed in 3 mM spermine. Feeding of T. urticae from cucumber plants increased hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, electrolyte leakage (EL) level and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity but inhibited catalase (CAT) activity in this plant. Infested cucumber plants treated with 2 mM spermine showed lower H(2)O(2) and MDA content and highest activity of APX and CAT on day 1 and 3 compare to the others. The 3 mM spermine increased H(2)O(2) content in infested plants during the whole experiment as well as non-infested plants in day 5 and 9 only. This treatment induced the highest MDA content and lowest catalase activity on day1, 3 and 5 of experiment in infested plants. CONCLUSION: This study showed that 2 mM spermine was the only effective concentration that reduce cucumber sensitivity to T. urticae. The trend of changes in biochemical parameters, especially H(2)O(2), in 3 mM spermine was abnormal, and this concentration could be considered toxic. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12870-023-04573-5.