Further, it should be stressed that differences in transcript
abundance are no evidence of actual metabolic changes. In an earlier
study, we found that a barley gene sequence that was up-regulated
at transcript level by aphids or by methyl jasmonate was
not translated and thus that the regulation had no effects on the
putative defence-related biosynthetic pathway to an alkaloid
(Larsson et al., 2011). Further studies at protein and metabolic level
are certainly needed to explain the effects of thiamine.
The data presented suggest usage of thiamine in strategies to
prevent or reduce aphid infestations. However, in view of the
essential effects on primary metabolism of thiamine, more research
is needed on the overall effect of thiamine additions on crop
plant overall performance and health, both under controlled conditions
and in the field.