Recent Advances in Plant–Insect Interactions

Plant–insect interaction is a fast-developing research field that continues to increase the interest of numerous scientists, many of whom come from heterogeneous backgrounds. This variety reflects the complexity and the multifaceted associations from which plants and insect interactions may originate. Mutualism, pollination, and biotrophy boost the co-evolution of plant and insect responses. In the case of antagonistic associations, plants have evolved defenses against various insect feeding strategies, which are counterbalanced by the ability of insects to detoxify plant chemicals or to react specifically to plant compounds. The success of plants in withstanding insect herbivory depends on their ability to quickly recognize and decipher the incoming signal and adequately respond to a wide array of attacking herbivores. Whilst this topic has been widely investigated, less attention has been paid to how insects use plant signals to their own advantage to detect high-quality food, choose where to lay their eggs, or find their prey. Current research on plant–insect interactions has mainly focused on genomics and proteomics, which are late events induced by biotic stress. Early events, within the first seconds to minutes, are responsible for the recognition and triggering of the signal transduction pathways, preceding both genomic and proteomic responses. For both plants and insects, sensing and communication are key features that can improve fitness and grant survival in contrasting environments. Understanding how plants counteract herbivore aggression equals our understanding of insect herbivores’ defense against plant countermeasures. In this Special Issue, we explore the genomics and metabolomics of plant–insect interactions with a collection of 19 papers focusing on the effects of some of the most devastating herbivores on their host plants, including planthoppers, thrips, and aphids, among others.