Molecular interactions between plants and arthropod herbivores in the context of climate change

Climate change is a powerful force that is changing the interactions between plants and biotic stressors. While the consequences of increased temperature and decreased water availability on molecular plant-pathogen interactions have been widely documented, the effects of global warming on molecular plant-herbivore interactions are less understood. In this review, the current knowledge on molecular interactions between plants and arthropod herbivores is compiled in the context of climate change, with a focus on the consequences of drought and warm temperatures. Mostly from transcriptomic approaches, extensive alterations have been found in the basal state of plants under mild changes in climate conditions. Although less studied, environmental conditions also affect molecular mechanisms in herbivores. Therefore, the molecular interaction between plants and herbivores is profoundly affected by specific environmental conditions, and the final consequence will depend on the climate-plant-herbivore specificities. Understanding how climate changes affect specific plant-herbivore interactions will help determine how global warming will affect crop production in the future.