Data for: Microbe-induced plant resistance alters aphid inter-genotypic competition leading to rapid evolution with consequences for plant growth and aphid abundance

Plants and insect herbivores are two of the most diverse multicellular groups in the world, and both are strongly influenced by interactions with the belowground soil microbiome. Effects of reciprocal rapid evolution on ecological interactions between herbivores and plants have been repeatedly demonstrated, but it is unknown if (and how) the soil microbiome could mediate these eco-evolutionary processes on a shared host plant. We tested the role of a plant-beneficial soil bacterium (Acidovorax radicis) in altering eco-evolutionary interactions between different aphid genotypes (Sitobion avenae; genotypes Sickte and Fescue) feeding on barley (Hordeum vulgare). We measured fecundity, longevity and population growth of two aphid genotypes reared separately or together (population mixture) on three different barley varieties that were inoculated with or without A. radicis. Results showed that across all plant varieties A. radicis increased plant growth and suppressed aphid populations via r..., Data were collected from a glasshouse pot experiment in Jan-Feb 2020. We used (1) three barley cultivars [Barbarella (Elsoms Seeds), Chevallier (New Heritage Barley Ltd), Irina (KWS)]; (2) two genotypes of the English grain aphid Sitobion avenae (L.) that have been maintained as low density stock populations on barley variety ‘Chanson’, including a dark brown genotype ‘Fescue’ and a pale pinkish coloured genotype ‘Sickte’; and (3) the rhizobacteria Acidovorax radicis N35. 
Experiment 1: Population growth. Using a fully-factorial design of the factors above, and including no-aphid, single aphid genotype, and a mixed aphid genotype population, the 24 treatments were replicated 8 times each. Individual barley plants in 10cm diameter pots were grown in a glasshouse (average temperature of 20°C), infested with four 3rd instar aphids (either 4 of one genotype or two of each genotype for the mixed populations), every plant covered with an air-permeable cover, and aphid numbers counted on days ..., , # Dataset: Microbe-induced plant resistance alters aphid inter-genotypic competition leading to rapid evolution with consequences for plant growth and aphid abundance

Data were collected from a glasshouse pot experiment in Jan-Feb 2020. We used (1) three barley cultivars [Barbarella (Elsoms Seeds), Chevallier (New Heritage Barley Ltd), Irina (KWS)]; (2) two genotypes of the English grain aphid Sitobion avenae (L.) that have been maintained as low density stock populations on barley variety ‘Chanson’, including a dark brown genotype ‘Fescue’ and a pale pinkish coloured genotype ‘Sickte’; and (3) the rhizobacteria Acidovorax radicis N35. 

Experiment 1 - population growth. Using a fully-factorial design of the factors above, and including no-aphid, single aphid genotype, and a mixed aphid genotype population, the 24 treatments were replicated 8 times each. Individual barley plants in 10cm diameter pots were grown in a glasshouse (average temperature of 20°C), infested with four 3rd ins...