Methyl jasmonate modulates non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses in sugarcane under Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) infestation.

Sugarcane is exposed to several biotic stresses that limit productivity, with herbivory by the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) being one of the most damaging. Larvae bore into stalks, disrupt sap flow, facilitate fungal and bacterial infections, and ultimately reduce plant performance and juice technological quality, while triggering an oxidative burst. In this context, defense priming offers a sustainable, cost-effective complement-and in some scenarios, an alternative-to insecticide-based control, by enhancing plant readiness rather than suppressing pests directly. The exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) has emerged as a promising strategy to induce plants' natural defenses by activating mechanisms similar to those triggered by pest attack. This study aimed to evaluate how exogenous MeJA modulates non-enzymatic antioxidant defenses in sugarcane under herbivory by D. saccharalis and under non-stress conditions. The experiment followed a randomized block design in a 2 × 4 factorial scheme with five replicates. The main factor was stress condition (with or without borer infestation), and the second factor was MeJA concentration (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mmol L⁻