Gary W. Felton, Ph.D.

Gary W. Felton, Ph.D.

  • Ralph O. Mumma Professor of Entomology and Department Head of Entomology
501 Ag Sciences & Industries Building
University Park, PA 16802

Education

  • B.S., University of California, Irvine, 1975
  • M.S., University of Kentucky, 1983
  • Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 1988

Lab Website

Current Graduate Students

Adam Damon
Po-An Lin
Gabriela Ponce
Liu Zhang

Postdoctoral Scholars


Charles Mason

Research Support Assistant (Lab Manager)

Michelle Peiffer

Department Focus Areas

Chemical ecology

Research

Chemical ecology; Insect-plant interactions; induced plant defenses, plant perception of herbivores

Research Programs and Interests

My research program uses molecular, proteomic, and physiological approaches to investigate insect-plant interactions. My main interests are investigating the countermeasures herbivores use in overcoming host plant defenses. Particular interest is on the role of herbivore salivary signals in suppressing the induced defenses of host plants.

The role of saliva of blood-feeding arthropods in suppressing the defenses of their vertebrate hosts has been comparatively well studied; however, very little is known about how the saliva of herbivores may interfere with plant defensive responses. Our projects focus primarily on the saliva of caterpillars. Recent findings indicate that saliva is enriched with an array of molecules that function in defense against microbial infection, digestion of plant tissues, and in suppressing induced defenses of plants. We employ a variety of surgical, molecular genetic approaches (e.g., RNA interference, CRISPR-Cas9) to examine function(s) of saliva.

Full list of Publications at Google Scholar

Publications

Toward an Integrated Understanding of the Lepidoptera Microbiome
Annual Review of Entomology, Shao, Yongqi, Mason, Charles J., Felton, Gary W., 2024

Stomatal closure prevents xylem transport of green leaf volatiles and impairs their systemic function in plants
Plant, Cell and Environment, Maleki, Feizollah A., Seidl-Adams, Irmgard, Fahimi, Azadeh, Peiffer, Michelle L., Kersch-Becker, Monica F., Felton, Gary W., Tumlinson, James H., 2024

Helicoverpa zea–Associated Gut Bacteria as Drivers in Shaping Plant Anti-herbivore Defense in Tomato
Microbial Ecology, Pan, Qinjian, Shikano, Ikkei, Liu, Tong Xian, Felton, Gary W., 2023

Caterpillar Salivary Glucose Oxidase Decreases Green Leaf Volatile Emission and Increases Terpene Emission from Maize
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Jones, Anne C., Lin, Po An, Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary, 2023

Sorghum and maize flavonoids are detrimental to growth and survival of fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda
Journal of Pest Science, Chatterjee, Debamalya, Lesko, Tyler, Peiffer, Michelle, Elango, Dinakaran, Beuzelin, Julien, Felton, Gary W., Chopra, Surinder, 2023

Tomato Chemical Defenses Intensify Corn Earworm (Helicoverpa zea) Mortality from Opportunistic Bacterial Pathogens
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Mason, Charles J., Peiffer, Michelle, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary, 2023

Water availability and plant-herbivore interactions
Journal of Experimental Botany, Lin, Po An, Kansman, Jessica, Chuang, Wen Po, Robert, Christelle, Erb, Matthias, Felton, Gary W., 2023

Integrating water and insect pest management in agriculture
Journal of Pest Science, Lin, Po An, Paudel, Sulav, Lai, Pin Chu, Gc, Raj K., Yang, Dan Hong, Felton, Gary W., 2023

Low water availability enhances volatile-mediated direct defences but disturbs indirect defences against herbivores
Journal of Ecology, Lin, Po An, Paudel, Sulav, Bin Zainuddin, Nursyafiqi, Tan, Ching Wen, Helms, Anjel, Ali, Jared G., Felton, Gary W., 2022

Host-Specific larval lepidopteran mortality to pathogenic Serratia mediated by poor diet
Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, Mason, Charles J., Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., Hoover, Kelli, 2022

Opposing Growth Responses of Lepidopteran Larvae to the Establishment of Gut Microbiota
Microbiology spectrum, Mason, Charles J., Peiffer, Michelle, Chen, Bosheng, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2022

The dual function of elicitors and effectors from insects: reviewing the ‘arms race’ against plant defenses
Plant Molecular Biology, Jones, Anne C., Felton, Gary W., Tumlinson, James H., 2022

Enterococcal symbionts of caterpillars facilitate the utilization of a suboptimal diet
Journal of Insect Physiology, Chen, Bosheng, Mason, Charles J., Peiffer, Michelle, Zhang, Dayu, Shao, Yongqi, Felton, Gary W., 2022

Special Issues in Honor of Professor Dr. Dr. hc mult. Wittko Francke, 28 November 1940–27 December 2020
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Millar, Jocelyn G., Schulz, Stefan, Felton, Gary W., 2022

Plant Nutrition Influences Resistant Maize Defense Responses to the Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Mason, Charles J., Ray, Swayamjit, Davidson-Lowe, Elizabeth, Ali, Jared, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary, 2022

Anti-Herbivore Resistance Changes in Tomato with Elevation
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Paudel, Sulav, Felton, Gary W., Rajotte, Edwin G., 2022

Concerted impacts of antiherbivore defenses and opportunistic Serratia pathogens on the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda)
Oecologia, Mason, Charles J., Peiffer, Michelle, St Clair, Abbi, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2022

Selection for high levels of resistance to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) using non-transgenic foliar delivery
Scientific Reports, Mishra, Swati, Dee, James, Moar, William, Dufner-Beattie, Jodi, Baum, James, Dias, Naymã Pinto, Alyokhin, Andrei, Buzza, Aaron, Rondon, Silvia I., Clough, Mark, Menasha, Sandy, Groves, Russell, Clements, Justin, Ostlie, Ken, Felton, Gary, Waters, Tim, Snyder, William E., Jurat-Fuentes, Juan Luis, 2021

Special Issues in Honor of Professor Dr. Dr. hc mult. Wittko Francke, 28 November 1940 - 27 December 2020
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Schulz, Stefan, Millar, Jocelyn G., Felton, Gary W., 2021

Insect herbivore populations and plant damage increase at higher elevations
Insects, Paudel, Sulav, Kandel, Pragya, Bhatta, Dependra, Pandit, Vinod, Felton, Gary W., Rajotte, Edwin G., 2021

Parasitoid Causes Cascading Effects on Plant-Induced Defenses Mediated Through the Gut Bacteria of Host Caterpillars
Frontiers in Microbiology, Wang, Jie, Mason, Charles J., Ju, Xueyang, Xue, Rongrong, Tong, Lu, Peiffer, Michelle, Song, Yuanyuan, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2021

Influence of plant physical and anatomical characteristics on the ovipositional preference of Orius sauteri (hemiptera: Anthocoridae)
Insects, Zhang, Liu, Qin, Zifang, Liu, Pingping, Yin, Yue, Felton, Gary W., Shi, Wangpeng, 2021

Changes in tolerance and resistance of a plant to insect herbivores under variable water availability
Environmental and Experimental Botany, Lin, Po An, Paudel, Sulav, Afzal, Amin, Shedd, Nancy L., Felton, Gary W., 2021

Silicon-Mediated Enhancement of Herbivore Resistance in Agricultural Crops
Frontiers in Plant Science, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Ray, Swayamjit, Tan, Ching Wen, Felton, Gary W., 2021

Host permissiveness to baculovirus influences time-dependent immune responses and fitness costs
Insect Science, Pan, Qinjian, Shikano, Ikkei, Felton, Gary W., Liu, Tong Xian, Hoover, Kelli, 2021

Changes in arthropod community but not plant quality benefit a specialist herbivore on plants under reduced water availability
Oecologia, Lin, Po An, Liu, Chia Ming, Ou, Jia Ang, Sun, Cheng Han, Chuang, Wen Po, Ho, Chuan Kai, Kinoshita, Natsuko, Felton, Gary W., 2021

Silencing the alarm: an insect salivary enzyme closes plant stomata and inhibits volatile release
New Phytologist, Lin, Po-An, Chen, Yintong, Chaverra-Rodriguez, Duverney, Zainuddin, N, Heu, Chan, Zainuddin, Nursyafiqi, Sidhu, J, Peiffer, M, Sidhu, Jagdeep, Peiffer, Michelle, Tan, C, Tan, Ching-Wen, Helms, A, Helms, Anjel, Kim, D, Kim, Donghun, Ali, J, Ali, None, Ali, Jared, Rasgon, J, Rasgon, Jason, Lynch, Jonathan, Anderson, C, Felton, G, Anderson, Charles T., Felton, Gary W., 2021

Stomata-mediated interactions between plants, herbivores, and the environment
Trends in Plant Science, Lin, Po-An, Chen, Yintong, Ponce, Gabriela, Acevedo, Flor, Lynch, Jonathan P., Anderson, Charles, Ali, Jared G., Felton, Gary W., 2021

Editorial: Plant-Arthropod Interactions: Effectors and Elicitors of Arthropods and Their Associated Microbes
Frontiers in Plant Science, Sugio, Akiko, Felton, Gary W., Giron, David, Kaloshian, Isgouhi, 2020

Top-down effects from parasitoids may mediate plant defence and plant fitness
Functional Ecology, Tan, Ching Wen, Peiffer, Michelle L., Ali, Jared G., Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2020

Asymmetric Responses to Climate Change: Temperature Differentially Alters Herbivore Salivary Elicitor and Host Plant Responses to Herbivory
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Paudel, Sulav, Lin, Po An, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., Rajotte, Edwin G., 2020

Fungi from the black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon oral secretions mediate plant–insect interactions
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Chen, Xuewei, Peiffer, Michelle, Tan, Ching Wen, Felton, Gary W., 2020

Host plant defense produces species-specific alterations to flight muscle protein structure and flight-related fitness traits of two armyworms
Journal of Experimental Biology, Portman, Scott L., Felton, Gary W., Kariyat, Rupesh R., Marden, James H., 2020

Potential Impacts of Translocation of Neonicotinoid Insecticides to Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum (Malvales: Malvaceae)) Extrafloral Nectar on Parasitoids
Environmental Entomology, Jones, Asher G., Hoover, Kelli, Pearsons, Kirsten, Tooker, John F., Felton, Gary W., 2020

Diet influences proliferation and stability of gut bacterial populations in herbivorous lepidopteran larvae
PLoS One, Mason, Charles J., St Clair, Abbi, Peiffer, Michelle, Gomez, Elena, Jones, Asher G., Felton, Gary W., Hoover, Kelli, 2020

Geographically isolated Colorado potato beetle mediating distinct defense responses in potato is associated with the alteration of gut microbiota
Journal of Pest Science, Wang, Jie, Gao, Zhou, Yang, Mingyu, Xue, Rongrong, Yan, Hui, Fu, Kaiyun, Zhang, Zhaojuan, Guo, Wenchao, Felton, Gary W., Zeng, Rensen, 2020

Parasitic Wasp Mediates Plant Perception of Insect Herbivores
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Tan, Ching Wen, Peiffer, Michelle, Hoover, Kelli, Rosa, Cristina, Felton, Gary W., 2019

Host plant and population source drive diversity of microbial gut communities in two polyphagous insects
Scientific Reports, Jones, Asher G., Mason, Charles J., Felton, Gary W., Hoover, Kelli, 2019

Induced Plant Defenses Against Herbivory in Cultivated and Wild Tomato
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Paudel, Sulav, Lin, Po An, Foolad, Majid R., Ali, Jared G., Rajotte, Edwin G., Felton, Gary W., 2019

Plant defenses interact with insect enteric bacteria by initiating a leaky gut syndrome
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Mason, Charles J., Ray, Swayamjit, Shikano, Ikkei, Peiffer, Michelle, Jones, Asher G., Luthe, Dawn S., Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2019

Phytohormones in Fall Armyworm Saliva Modulate Defense Responses in Plants
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Acevedo, Flor Edith, Smith, Philip, Peiffer, Michelle, Helms, Anjel, Tooker, John, Felton, Gary W., 2019

Pathogen-Mediated Tritrophic Interactions: Baculovirus-Challenged Caterpillars Induce Higher Plant Defenses than Healthy Caterpillars
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Pan, Qinjian, Shikano, Ikkei, Hoover, Kelli, Liu, Tong Xian, Felton, Gary W., 2019

Enterobacter ludwigii, isolated from the gut microbiota of Helicoverpa zea, promotes tomato plant growth and yield without compromising anti-herbivore defenses
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Pan, Qinjian, Shikano, Ikkei, Hoover, Kelli, Liu, Tong Xian, Felton, Gary W., 2019

Co-option of microbial associates by insects and their impact on plant–folivore interactions
Plant, Cell and Environment, Mason, Charles J., Jones, Asher G., Felton, Gary W., 2019

Herbivore-Induced Defenses in Tomato Plants Enhance the Lethality of the Entomopathogenic Bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Shikano, Ikkei, Pan, Qinjian, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2018

Gut-Associated Bacteria of Helicoverpa zea Indirectly Trigger Plant Defenses in Maize
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Wang, Jie, Yang, Mingyu, Song, Yuanyuan, Acevedo, Flor E., Hoover, Kelli, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2018

Correction to: Gut-Associated Bacteria of Helicoverpa zea Indirectly Trigger Plant Defenses in Maize (Journal of Chemical Ecology, (2018), 44, 7-8, (690-699), 10.1007/s10886-018-0970-0)
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Wang, Jie, Yang, Mingyu, Song, Yuanyuan, Acevedo, Flor E., Hoover, Kelli, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2018

Proteomic analysis of labial saliva of the generalist cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni) and its role in interactions with host plants
Journal of Insect Physiology, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Stanley, Bruce A., Stanley, Anne, Felton, Gary W., 2018

Intraspecific differences in plant defense induction by fall armyworm strains
New Phytologist, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Ray, Swayamjit, Meagher, Robert, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2018

Symbiotic polydnavirus of a parasite manipulates caterpillar and plant immunity
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Tan, Ching Wen, Peiffer, Michelle, Hoover, Kelli, Rosa, Cristina, Acevedo, Flor E., Felton, Gary W., 2018

Tritrophic Interactions: Microbe-Mediated Plant Effects on Insect Herbivores
Annual Review of Phytopathology, Shikano, Ikkei, Rosa, Cristina, Tan, Ching Wen, Felton, Gary W., 2017

Host plant driven transcriptome plasticity in the salivary glands of the cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni)
PLoS One, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Galbraith, David A., Grozinger, Christina M., Felton, Gary W., 2017

Quantitative proteomic analysis of the fall armyworm saliva
Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Acevedo, Flor E., Stanley, Bruce A., Stanley, Anne, Peiffer, Michelle, Luthe, Dawn S., Felton, Gary W., 2017

Helicoverpa zea gut-associated bacteria indirectly induce defenses in tomato by triggering a salivary elicitor(s)
New Phytologist, Wang, Jie, Peiffer, Michelle, Hoover, Kelli, Rosa, Cristina, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2017

Plant-mediated effects on an insect–pathogen interaction vary with intraspecific genetic variation in plant defences
Oecologia, Shikano, Ikkei, Shumaker, Ketia L., Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., Hoover, Kelli, 2017

Fall armyworm-associated gut bacteria modulate plant defense responses
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Tan, Ching Wen, Stanley, Bruce A., Stanley, Anne, Wang, Jie, Jones, Asher G., Hoover, Kelli, Rosa, Cristina, Luthe, Dawn, Felton, Gary, 2017

Genomics of Lepidoptera saliva reveals function in herbivory
Current Opinion in Insect Science, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Acevedo, Flor E., Felton, Gary W., 2017

Letter from the Editor: A Daunting Task
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Felton, Gary W., 2017

Host plant species determines symbiotic bacterial community mediating suppression of plant defenses
Scientific Reports, Chung, Seung Ho, Scully, Erin D., Peiffer, Michelle, Geib, Scott M., Rosa, Cristina, Hoover, Kelli, Felton, Gary W., 2017

Lessons from the Far End: Caterpillar FRASS-Induced Defenses in Maize, Rice, Cabbage, and Tomato
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Ray, Swayamjit, Basu, Saumik, Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Acevedo, Flor E., Louis, Joe, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2016

Intraplant communication in maize contributes to defense against insects
Plant Signaling and Behavior, Varsani, Suresh, Basu, Saumik, Williams, W. Paul, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., Louis, Joe, 2016

Herbivore Oral Secreted Bacteria Trigger Distinct Defense Responses in Preferred and Non-Preferred Host Plants
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Wang, Jie, Chung, Seung Ho, Peiffer, Michelle, Rosa, Cristina, Hoover, Kelli, Zeng, Rensen, Felton, Gary W., 2016

Turnabout is fair play: Herbivory-induced plant chitinases excreted in fall armyworm frass suppress herbivore defenses in maize
Plant Physiology, Ray, Swayamjit, Alves, Patrick C.M.S., Ahmad, Imtiaz, Gaffoor, Iffa, Acevedo, Flor E., Peiffer, Michelle, Jin, Shan, Han, Yang, Shakee, Samina, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2016

Chew and spit: tree-feeding notodontid caterpillars anoint girdles with saliva
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Dussourd, David E., Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., 2016

Essential amino acid supplementation by gut microbes of a wood-feeding cerambycid
Environmental Entomology, Ayayee, Paul A., Larsen, Thomas, Rosa, Cristina, Felton, Gary W., Ferry, James G., Hoover, Kelli, 2016

Ethylene contributes to maize insect resistance1-mediated maize defense against the phloem sap-sucking corn leaf aphid
Plant Physiology, Louis, Joe, Basu, Saumik, Varsani, Suresh, Castano-Duque, Lina, Jiang, Victoria, Paul Williams, W., Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2015

Cues from chewing insects - the intersection of DAMPs, HAMPs, MAMPs and effectors
Current Opinion in Plant Biology, Acevedo, Flor E., Rivera-Vega, Loren J., Chung, Seung Ho, Ray, Swayamjit, Felton, Gary W., 2015

Maize Plants Recognize Herbivore-Associated Cues from Caterpillar Frass
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Ray, Swayamjit, Gaffor, Iffa, Acevedo, Flo, Helms, Anjel, Chuang, Wen Po, Tooker, John, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2015

Enhancing Plant Resistance at the Seed Stage: Low Concentrations of Methyl Jasmonate Reduce the Performance of the Leaf Miner Tuta absoluta but do not Alter the Behavior of its Predator Chrysoperla externa
Journal of Chemical Ecology, Strapasson, Priscila, Pinto-Zevallos, Delia M., Paudel, Sulav, Rajotte, Edwin G., Felton, Gary W., Zarbin, Paulo H.G., 2014

Effect of PGPR on population growth parameters of cotton aphid
Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Fahimi, Azadeh, Ashouri, Ahmad, Ahmadzadeh, Masoud, Hoseini Naveh, Vahid, Asgharzadeh, Ahmad, Maleki, Feizollah, Felton, Gary W., 2014

Herbivore Oral Secretions are the First Line of Protection Against Plant-Induced Defences, Felton, Gary W., Chung, Seung Ho, Hernandez, Maria Gloria Estrada, Louis, Joe, Peiffer, Michelle, Tian, Donglan, 2014

Herbivore cues from the fall armyworm (spodoptera frugiperda) larvae trigger direct defenses in maize
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Chuang, Wen Po, Ray, Swayamjit, Acevedo, Flor Edith, Peiffer, Michelle, Felton, Gary W., Luthe, Dawn S., 2014

Roles of ethylene and jasmonic acid in systemic induced defense in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) against helicoverpa zea
Planta, Tian, Donglan, Peiffer, Michelle, De Moraes, Consuelo M., Felton, Gary W., 2014

Gut microbes contribute to nitrogen provisioning in a wood-feeding cerambycid
Environmental Entomology, Ayayee, Paul, Rosa, Cristina, Ferry, James Gregory, Felton, Gary, Saunders, Michael Craig, Hoover, Kelli, 2014

Benefits and costs of tomato seed treatment with plant defense elicitors for insect resistance
Arthropod-Plant Interactions, Paudel, Sulav, Rajotte, Edwin G., Felton, Gary W., 2014