Does early-season defoliation of crabapple (Malus sp.) by eastern tent caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) induce resistance to Japanese beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)?

We tested the hypothesis that early-season defoliation of flowering crabapple, Malus sp., by eastern tent caterpillars, Malacosoma americanum F., induces localized or systemic resistance to Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica Newman, feeding on the same trees in late June. 'Candymint Sargent' crabapple trees were inoculated with M. americanum egg masses, resulting in extensive defoliation during March and April. Second flush leaves of defoliated trees were smaller and thinner than those of control trees. In laboratory feeding assays with non-damaged foliage, beetles generally preferred fully expanded leaves over partially expanded ones, regardless of whether or not the source tree had been defoliated. Detached first flush leaves with caterpillar damage were fed upon less than comparable non-damaged leaves, suggesting that early-season wounding causes some within-leaf reduction in palatability to P. japonica. Other assays with detached first- and second-flush leaves, however, indicated absence of induced, systemic resistance. Previously-defoliated and control trees sustained comparable damage from natural beetle populations in the field. Our results suggest that defoliation of Malus sp. by tent caterpillars in early spring is unlikely to reduce feeding damage by Japanese beetles later in the same growing season.