Behavioural and electrophysiological responses of the European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis to host‐plant volatiles and related chemicals

The European corn borer Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a worldwide pest of maize (Zea mays L.) and other crops. The semiochemicals released by maize plants and structurally‐related compounds can be used by adult female O. nubilalis for host‐plant location and oviposition. Headspace volatile compounds emitted by watered and water‐deprived maize plants are collected and identified by their retention indices and mass spectra. The most abundant compounds from watered plants are limonene, linalool, benzoic acid, indole, β‐caryophyllene and acetophenone, whereas, in water‐deprived plants, limonene, acetophenone, hexanoic acid, benzoic acid and indole are dominant. In addition, (E)‐4,8‐dimethyl‐1,3,7‐nonatriene, 6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐one, anisole and 1‐carvone are undetected in the water‐deprived plants. Some of the identified compounds show electrophysiological activity (electroantennogram) in the antennae of both sexes, with the responses elicited by tridecane, tetradecane, dodecane, nonanal, decanal and 2‐ethylhexanol on males being particularly noteworthy. In a dual‐choice olfactometer, adult females show a preference for 2‐hexanol, heptanal, methyl salicylate, hexyl acetate, nonanal, methyl dodecanoate, β‐pinene and (E)‐2‐hexenyl acetate over hexane controls. Tetradecane, linalool, methyl hexanoate, methyl nonanoate, (Z)‐3‐hexenyl benzoate, tridecane, 2‐cyclopentylcyclopentanone, 3‐methylbutyl acetate, β‐myrcene and (Z)‐3‐hexenyl butanoate result in fewer females in the test arm compared with the control arm. No single compound displays an activity similar to watered maize plants, supporting the hypothesis that blends of volatiles in specific ratios are more effective than single volatile chemicals. The results of the present study suggest that methyl salicylate, which elicits also one of the highest electrophysiological responses in female antennae, plays a role in host preference by O. nubilalis females.     

L-DOPA functions as a plant pheromone for belowground anti-herbivory communication

While mechanisms of plant–plant communication for alerting neighbouring plants of an imminent insect herbivore attack have been described aboveground via the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), we are yet to decipher the specific components of plant–plant signalling belowground. Using bioassay-guided fractionation, we isolated and identified the non-protein amino acid l -DOPA, released from roots of Acyrtosiphon pisum aphid-infested Vicia faba plants, as an active compound in triggering the production of VOCs released aboveground in uninfested plants. In behavioural assays, we show that after contact with l -DOPA, healthy plants become highly attractive to the aphid parasitoid (Aphidius ervi), as if they were infested by aphids. We conclude that l -DOPA, originally described as a brain neurotransmitter precursor, can also enhance immunity in plants.     

Morphology and Volatile Compounds of Metathoracic Scent Gland in Tessaratoma papillosa (Drury) (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae)

Tessaratoma papillosa (Drury) (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae) is a serious insect pest of litchi and longan in South China. When disturbed, this insect could release large quantities of disagreeable odorous volatiles from its scent gland. Knowledge on the scent gland and its secretion is crucial for developing the semiochemical methods to manage this pest. Morphology and ultrastructure of the metathoracic scent glands (MTGs) were studied under stereo and scanning electron microscopy, and the volatile compounds of MTGs from both male and female T. papillosa were analyzed with coupled gas chromatography?Cmass spectrometry (GC?CMS). The MTG complex is located between the metathorax and the first abdominal segment at the ventral surface of the insect, which has a well-developed single double valve cystic-shaped orange median reservoir, paired colorless lateral glands in both sides, and a long and wavy tubular accessory gland that inlays tightly into the ventral edge around the median reservoir. The MTG opens to the body surface through paired ostioles located between the meso- and metacoxae of the evaporatorium with mushroom bodies. The GC?CMS analyses showed that female and male adults have nine major volatile components in common. Tridecane is the most abundant in both females and males, reaching up to 47.1% and 51.8% of relative amount, respectively. The minor component is benzophenone with only 0.28% and 0.14%. Furthermore, undecane, tetradecane, 3-methyl-tridecane, and cyclopentadecane were found only in males. The possible function of volatile compounds of MTG contents in T. papillosa is addressed.     

白星花金龟对寄主植物挥发物的电生理反应

[目的]白星花金龟Protaetia brevitarsis是我国经济上重要的农业害虫.本研究拟鉴定苹果、葡萄和玉米3种果实在两种状态(健康与受白星花金龟成虫为害)下的挥发物中能引起白星花金龟雌成虫触角电生理反应的挥发物成分.[方法]采用动态顶空吸附法收集苹果、葡萄和玉米3种果实的挥发物,用气相色谱-触角电位联用技术(...     

Comparison of volatile leaf compounds and herbivorous insect communities on three willow species

 Plants produce volatile compounds known to influence insect preferences for oviposition and feeding. To examine whether volatile leaf compounds are correlated with the herbivorous insect community, we analyzed volatile compounds in leaves from three co-occurring willow species, Salix serissaefolia, S. eriocarpa, and S. integra, and investigated their associated insect communities in 3 months across different years. The gas chromatographic profiles of volatile compounds were highly specific to each willow species and remained constant in the study months. In a comparison between the chemical composition of the volatile compounds and the taxon composition of the insect communities, dissimilarity patterns in chemical composition among the three willow species were very close to those in herbivorous insect communities. These findings indicate that willow leaves produce specific volatiles that are highly correlated with the community structure of herbivorous insects associated with them. Received: October 10, 2002 / Accepted: March 17, 2003     

Plants,microbes, and odorants involved in host plant location by a specialist moth: who's making the message?

The grape berry moth (GBM), Paralobesia viteana (Clemens) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is a specialist pest insect of cultivated grape, Vitis spp. (Vitaceae), in the eastern USA. A blend of volatile compounds has been isolated from plant material that attracts female GBM in the flight tunnel and field. However, the origin of the volatile cue is potentially complicated by the presence of microbes (bacteria and fungi) living on the surface of the plant. Microbial volatile organic compounds can affect insect behavior, and therefore must be considered to fully understand olfaction‐mediated behaviors. We report here the chemical and behavioral analysis of the volatile profiles produced from both the sanitized and control shoot treatments. The sanitization treatment removed 96.4% of the surface microbes up to 24 h, covering the duration of the behavioral assays and volatile collections. Overall, the surface microbes did not significantly contribute to the volatile profile of the grape shoots, as all of the peaks in the volatile profile of sanitized shoots were found in the profile of control shoots. In flight tunnel assays, female GBM displayed the same level of upwind oriented flight to sanitized shoots (flew upwind 57.4%, landed 30.9%) as they did to control shoots (flew upwind 57.8%, landed 31.0%), suggesting further that surface microbes did not contribute to the production of the previously identified blend of behaviorally active volatiles for GBM.     

Effect of infestation with Callosobruchus maculatus on the GC/MS chemical constituents and minerals of cowpea seeds

Poor storage of cowpea seeds causes the infestation of store pests, and consequently, the quality of the seeds decreases in quantity and quality. Therefore, continuous detection of the infestation has become necessary. Cowpea is one of the most economically essential legumes in different world areas. Cowpea is severely damaged in the store by the cowpea storage pest, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.), and early detection of insect infestation is essential for implementing timely and effective pest management decisions to protect them.The effect of insect infestation with Callosobruchus maculatus on the chemical composition of cowpea seeds (Vigna unguiculata) and mineral content was studied. The volatile compounds were analyzed and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) for the raw (non-infested), cooked, infested, and cooked cowpea seeds and the adult insect of C. maculatus.GC–MS analysis results showed that six volatile compounds were identified from raw cowpea seeds and only three from cooked ones. (9,12- Octadecadienoic acid, methyl ester) was identified in cooked seeds but not detected in raw seeds. Eight volatile compounds were detected only in infested seeds with C. maculatus alone, and these compounds can be used for detecting C. maculatus in cowpea seeds. Two specific compounds, such as Stigmasterol, and Beta-Sitosterol, were detected in infested cooked cowpea seeds.In cowpea seeds, infestation caused a reduction in the concentration of Aluminum (Al) and Iron (Fe), while Manganese (Mn) increased either after or before the cooking. Without infestation, the cooking process alone decreased Al, Fe, and Mn concentrations.     

Is the (E)‐β‐farnesene only volatile terpenoid in aphids?

Abstract: Herbivore insects use a broad range of chemical cues to locate their host to feed or to oviposit. Whether several plant volatiles are effective allelochemicals for insects, the latter also emit molecules which have infochemical role. The (E)‐β‐farnesene (EBF) is a well‐known aphid alarm pheromone commonly found in all previously tested species. Analysis of the released molecules from 23 aphid species, mainly collected on their natural host plant from May to July, was performed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. While EBF was identified as the main volatile substance in 16 species, alone or associated with other molecules, the alarm pheromone was only a minor component of the volatile molecule pattern of five other species. Moreover, two species, Euceraphis punctipennis and Drepanosiphum platanoides, did not release EBF at all but other terpenes were identified. This original observation raised the question on the utility and the source of the non‐EBF volatiles. Are these potential infochemical substances produced by the aphid or only absorbed from the host plant? Here we determined that terpenes released by insects were not only provided by the host plants. Indeed, Megoura viciae emitted additional molecules than the ones from several aphid species reared on the same host plant. Moreover, no systematic relation between the feeding behaviour of the aphid species and the volatile releases was observed. Aphid terpene composition and proportion would provide reliable cues to identify the emitting organism, plant or insect. The next step of this work will be to determine the infochemical role of terpenes found in the range of tested aphid samples to better understand the relations between the different tritrophic levels.     

北京平谷地区次生林栓皮栎枝叶挥发性物质组分分析及对机械损伤的响应

分析栓皮栎枝叶挥发性物质的组成成分以及对机械损伤的响应。本文通过气质联用（GC/MS）方法比较分析了北京平谷地区天然次生林林栓皮栎枝叶机械损伤前、后挥发性气体VOCs主要成分和相对含量。（1）栓皮栎枝叶中的挥发性物质有酯类、烷烃类、萜烯类、芳香烃类、醛酮类、醇类、烯烃类以及其他含氮、氯、硫等物质等8大类,其中酯类和烷烃类含量最多,约占总物质含量的30.32%~41.60%和30.02%~33.14%;（2）虽然机械损伤前、后挥发性物质的组分和含量均有所变化,但是每一类物质主要成分基本保持一致,其中主要成分有酞酸二丁酯、2-甲基-1-己醇、2,6,10-三甲基十四烷、3-亚甲基-1,1-二甲基-2-乙烯基环己烷、十四烷、十九烷、油酸酰胺、壬醛、癸醛等;（3）机械损伤随栓皮栎枝叶挥发性物质成分及含量均产生了不同程度的影响。机械损伤后总挥发物含量均有明显的增加,其中明显增加的组分有：萘、d-柠檬烯、（Z）-3,7-二甲基-1,3,6-十八烷三烯、4-己烯-1-醇乙酸酯、酞酸二丁酯、乙酸己酯、苯甲酸丁酯、3-亚甲基-1,1-二甲基-2-乙烯基环己烷等化合物。栓皮栎枝叶8大类挥发性物质中酯类和烷烃类含量最多;机械损伤后,萘、d-柠檬烯、4-己烯-1-醇乙酸酯、酞酸二丁酯等物质均有明显的增加,这些物质对昆虫具有一定的驱避作用,这可能是栓皮栎的一种化学防御策略来响应和免受外界虫食等胁迫的侵害。另外,机械损伤后许多组分也发生了不同程度或是小幅度的变化,其变化机理和生态功能尚未知晓,有待进一步研究。     

Volatile compounds from leaves of the African spider plant (Gynandropsis gynandra) with bioactivity against spider mite (Tetranychus urticae)

Previous studies have demonstrated that Gynandropsis gynandra emits acetonitrile as a foliar volatile from intact plants and isolated leaves, and that this compound is an effective spider mite repellent. This study has used gas chromatography–mass spectrometry to investigate volatile compounds emitted from homogenised G. gynandra leaves to evaluate their tissue acetonitrile content and to look for other compounds that might be exploited for the management of spider mites. Acetonitrile was absent from the homogenised tissues of five lines of G. gynandra, studied over two seasons. Thirteen volatile compounds were emitted by G. gynandra at significantly higher levels than mite‐susceptible pot roses, including isothiocyanates, aldehydes, esters, alcohols and terpenes. Six representative compounds were selected to assess bioactivity. Spider mite populations were completely inactive after a 2 h exposure to butyl isothiocyanate, 2,4‐heptadienal or β‐cyclocitral, when evaporated from 0.5 µL of pure compound in a 100 mL air space. The same level of inactivity was achieved after exposure to 5.0 μL of (Z)‐2‐pentenol or a 25 μL volume of 50% v/v Z‐3‐hexenal or 5% w/v methyl isothiocyanate. Dissipation of β‐cyclocitral following 24 h exposure to its concentration of 5 μL in a 100 mL air space resulted in a 6% recovery of the spider mites but at higher concentrations no recovery was observed. These identified compounds may have potential as extracted products for management of spider mites in roses, and a high constitutive content of them in roses may be of value in targeted plant breeding for enhanced insect resistance. The range of isothiocyanates found in G. gynandra accounts for the bitter taste of the leaves when used as a traditional vegetable in Eastern Africa and provides a target for manipulation to improve palatability.     

B型烟粉虱对三种寄主植物及其挥发物的行为反应

利用Y型嗅觉仪,测定了B型烟粉虱Bemisia tabaci（Gennadius）雌虫对3种寄主植物、挥发物提取液、挥发物标样以及寄主植物挥发物模拟样的行为反应,并比较鉴定寄主植物挥发物的组分和含量,以期明确植物挥发物在B型烟粉虱寄主定向行为中的作用。结果表明：1）番茄植株和甘蓝植株及其相应的挥发物提取物对烟粉虱雌成虫均具有显著的引诱作用,而辣椒植株和挥发物提取物的引诱作用不明显;3种寄主植物和挥发物提取物分别两两之间比较时,烟粉虱的选择行为均极显著地表现为番茄 > 甘蓝 > 辣椒。2）番茄、甘蓝和辣椒具有不同的挥发物化学图谱,且挥发物组分的相对百分含量差异很大;番茄挥发物总量远远大于甘蓝和辣椒;从组分来看,番茄挥发物中主要为萜烯类（89.8%）,甘蓝挥发物中主要为烷烃类（53.0%）。3）8种寄主植物挥发物标样（10-¹～10^-6 μL/μL）中,除1,8-桉树脑始终对烟粉虱具有引诱作用外,丁子香酚、苎烯、里那醇和月桂烯则是分别在10^-4～10^-6,10^-1～10^-4,10^-1～10^-4和10^-1～10^-4μL/μL时,才具有引诱作用;α-蒎烯、顺-3-已烯-1醇则在高浓度下（10^-1和10^-2 μL/μL）对烟粉虱具有排斥作用,低浓度下对烟粉虱没有任何影响;正十二烷在任何浓度下对烟粉虱均没有任何作用。4）在辣椒上分别喷施番茄挥发物模拟样和甘蓝挥发物模拟样,均显著增加对烟粉虱的引诱作用,而在番茄上喷施辣椒挥发物模拟样则无明显增效作用。综合分析认为,挥发性物质在B型烟粉虱对不同寄主植物的选择偏好时具有重要的行为导向作用。     

Electroantennographic responses of red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) to volatile organic compounds

The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is the most encountered and destructive stored product insect pest of cereal grains and seeds. Although this beetle has been used as a model organism for many decades, there is no systematic knowledge about antennal detection of host and non‐host volatiles. Electroantennogram responses to 94 selected volatile organic compounds including alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, terpenoids and aromatic compounds were recorded from both sexes of T. castaneum. Overall, female and male T. castaneum exhibited similar electroantennography (EAG) responses. Compounds eliciting the strongest EAG responses within compound groups of chemical similarity were undecane, 1‐hexen‐3‐ol, octanal, 2‐heptanone, hexanoic acid and ethyl hexanoate. Comparison of vapour pressure and EAG amplitudes within homologous series of compounds revealed responses to undecane, octadecane, octanal, nonanal, 2‐heptanone, hexanoic acid and octanoic acid as outstanding. Given that systematic EAG screenings have not been conducted before, these are the best candidates for evaluation in future behavioural studies to unravel their potential for application in integrated pest management strategies of T. castaneum.     

Kin recognition in a subsocial treehopper (Hemiptera: Membracidae)

1. Insects exhibiting parental care usually can discriminate between kin and non‐kin individuals, allowing parents to avoid investment in foreign offspring. 2. This study investigated the occurrence of kin recognition in the sap‐feeding insect Alchisme grossa Fairmaire (Membracidae) through bioassays assessing median female distance to nymphs and degree of nymphal aggregation. Each bioassay involved groups consisting of a female and a cohort of kin or non‐kin nymphs (mother and non‐mother treatments, respectively). Furthermore, cuticular non‐volatile compounds were extracted from nymphal cohorts, analysed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry and compared between cohorts. 3. In both treatments, nymphs performed a ‘rocking behaviour’ which appears to be correlated with aggregation. Temporal patterns of degree of nymphal aggregation and median female–nymph distance differed between treatments, the former parameter being higher in the mother treatment and the latter being higher in the non‐mother treatment. 4. A total of 40 compounds were found in the extracts. The composition of cuticular non‐volatile compounds differed between nymphal cohorts. 5. These results support the notion that kin recognition in A. grossa is possibly mediated by nymphal rocking behaviour and/or cuticular non‐volatile compounds (i.e. visual and/or chemical cues).     

Host recognition by Rhinocyllus conicus of floral scents from invasive and threatened thistles

One of the main obstacles of classical biological control is that biological control organisms cannot be recalled once they are released in nature. It is particularly true for the flowerhead weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus Frölich, which was released as a biological control organism for the invasive musk thistle, Carduus nutans L. (MT). While weevils successfully suppressed introduced populations of musk thistles and other invasive thistle species, non-target attacks have been reported on multiple native thistles including federally listed threatened and endangered (T&E) thistle species. To investigate the foraging behavior of female weevils on invasive and native thistles, we examined volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from MT and a T&E plant species, Sacramento Mountains thistle, Cirsium vinaceum Wooton & Standley (SMT) in the Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico. We used a dynamic headspace volatile collection system and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to compare volatile profiles between MT and SMT. Female weevils reacted to 7 electrophysiologically active chemical compounds in the blends based on gas chromatography-electroantennography. The behavioral response of female weevils was indifferent when VOCs from both thistles were offered in y-tube olfactometry experiments. Yet, they preferred VOCs collected from MT to purified air. The searching time of female weevils was longer to VOCs collected from SMT over controls. Investigating signals during the initial host recognition of released biological control organisms may open new opportunities to reduce non-target attacks on T&E plant species.

     

Electrophysiological and behavioral identification of a volatile blend involved in host location of female strawberry sap beetle,Stelidota geminata

The strawberry sap beetle (SSB), Stelidota geminata (Say) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), is a serious direct pest of strawberries in the northeastern USA. To date, however, no food or pheromone‐based attractants for SSB have been identified. A combination of solid‐phase microextraction, adsorbent sampling, gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection (GC–EAD), and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to identify volatile compounds from strawberry fruit acting as behavioral attractants for female SSB. Consistent EAD activity was obtained for 16 ester compounds. In Y‐tube olfactometer bioassays, the blend of these 16 compounds mixed at a ratio observed from strawberry headspace was significantly more attractive to adult female SSB than a control. Female SSB showed no difference in response levels between the 16‐component blend and a strawberry volatile adsorbent extract. Our data indicate that the combination of the ethyl acetate with some or all of the remaining 15 compounds is necessary for this ester blend to be attractive to female SSB. Previously identified host volatiles found for other species of sap beetles included mostly alcohols associated with over‐ripe fruit rather than the esters identified from ripe strawberries for SSB. A highly attractive synthetic food odor will be useful for developing new management options for SSB.     

Differential induction of plant chemical defenses by parasitized and unparasitized herbivores: consequences for reciprocal,multitrophic interactions

Insect parasitoids can play ecologically important roles in virtually all terrestrial plant–insect herbivore interactions, yet whether parasitoids alter the defensive traits that underlie interactions between plants and their herbivores remains a largely unexplored question. Here, we examined the reciprocal trophic interactions among populations of the wild cabbage Brassica oleracea that vary greatly in their production of defensive secondary compounds – glucosinolates (GSs), a generalist herbivore, Trichoplusia ni, and its polyembryonic parasitoid Copidosoma floridanum. In a greenhouse environment, plants were exposed to either healthy (unparasitized), parasitized, or no herbivores. Feeding damage by herbivores induced higher levels of the indole GSs, glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin, but not any of the other measured GSs. Herbivores parasitized by C. floridanum induced cabbage plants to produce 1.5 times more indole GSs than levels induced by healthy T. ni and five times more than uninduced plants. As a gregarious endoparasitoid, C. floridanum causes its host T. ni to feed more than unparasitized herbivores resulting in increased induction of indole GSs. In turn, herbivore fitness parameters (including differential effects on male and female contributions to lifetime fecundity in the herbivore) were negatively correlated with the aliphatic GSs, sinigrin and gluconapin, whereas parasitoid fitness parameters were negatively correlated with the indole GSs, glucobrassicin and neoglucobrassicin. That herbivores and their parasitoids appear to be affected by different sets of GSs was unexpected given the intimate developmental associations between host and parasitoid. This study is the first to demonstrate that parasitoids, through increasing feeding by their herbivorous hosts, can induce higher levels of non‐volatile plant chemical defenses. While parasitoids are widely recognized to be ubiquitous in most terrestrial insect herbivore communities, their role in influencing plant–insect herbivore relationships is still vastly underappreciated.     

SPME‐GC/MS Analysis of Volatile Compounds Contained in the Insect Larvae of Tenebrio molitor and Leptinotarsa decemlineata before and after Using Insecticides

The larvae of two harmful insect species Tenebrio molitor and Leptinotarsa decemlineata were analyzed. The insects were sprayed with insecticides containing the active substances cyfluthrin and deltamethrin (T. molitor), and thiamethoxam and acetamiprid (L. decemlineata). The sprayed insect larvae were left for 24, 48 and 72 h. Samples were then prepared using SPME fiber to identify the volatile compounds contained in the larvae. The determinations were made by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Chemical compounds were found in the analyzed samples: alkanes, aldehydes, ketones, esters, terpenes, fatty acids. In the samples prepared from T. molitor larvae, more than 20 % of aldehydes and 8–41 % of alkanes were determined. In the samples from L. decemlineata, fatty acids were 8–65 % depending on the length of time after applying the insecticide.     

罗汉果叶片挥发性成分与访花昆虫: 雌雄株差异及其生态影响

为探究罗汉果(Siraitia grosvenorii)自然授粉不良的形成原因,该文以罗汉果品种“大地二号”的种苗为材料,采用定点定时方法调查罗汉果雌雄株访花昆虫,同时利用GC-MS对雌雄株叶片的挥发性成分进行比较分析。结果表明:在雄株上观察到访花昆虫102种,分属于8目29科,其中包括蜜蜂科、眼蝶科、夜蛾科和天蛾科等传粉昆虫类群; 在雌株上观察到访花昆虫69种,分属于7目16科,但未观察到上述传粉昆虫类群。雄株访花昆虫的物种丰富度、多度和Shannon-Wiener多样性均显著高于雌株(P<0.05),Jaccard相似性分析显示,雌株和雄株访花昆虫达到中等不相似水平。在雄株叶片中鉴定出挥发性成分17种,优势成分为萜烯类化合物,占总含量的67.31%; 在雌株叶片中鉴定出挥发性成分12种,优势成分为烷烃类化合物,占总含量的44.27%。雄株具有较多特有成分,包括7种萜烯类和3种酯类成分,占总体成分的45.45%; 雌株的特有成分较少,包括4种烷烃类和1种酯类成分,占总体成分种类的22.72%。Jaccard相似性分析显示,雌株和雄株的挥发性成分总体上达到中等不相似水平,其中萜烯类和酯类的相似度更低,达到极不相似水平。进一步分析表明,在罗汉果雌雄株之间,由于挥发性化合物在优势成分上的重要差异,以及特有成分的大量存在,可能导致了它们访花昆虫类群的显著差异,进而影响了罗汉果的自然传粉过程。     

Synergism between aromatic compounds and green leaf volatiles derived from the host plant underlies female attraction in the oriental fruit moth

Blends of volatile compounds emitted by host plants are known to mediate the attraction of gravid female herbivores to oviposition sites, but the role of individual odor components is still little understood. We characterized the olfactory response of mated female Cydia (Grapholita) molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to synthetic mixtures of compounds emitted by peach shoot, a key host plant of this herbivore, and investigated the role of important constituents of bioactive mixtures in moth attraction. Relative ratios of constituents of the mixtures corresponded to the natural ratio of volatile compounds collected in the plant's headspace. A significant attractant effect was found for a comparatively complex 10‐compound mixture that included four green leaf volatiles [(Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol, 1‐hexanol, (E)‐2‐hexenal, and (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐yl acetate], five aromatics (benzaldehyde, methyl salicylate, methyl benzoate, benzonitrile, and phenylacetonitrile), and a carboxylic acid (valeric acid). Using a subtraction approach, the number of compounds was progressively decreased, resulting in a bioactive 5‐compound mixture composed of two constituents, green leaf volatiles and aromatic compounds. Further evaluations revealed that benzaldehyde and benzonitrile must be present in association with three distinct green leaf volatiles to produce an attractant effect on the female moths. This 5‐compound mixture was as attractive as natural peach shoot volatiles, which are known to comprise over 20 compounds. Results are discussed in light of the documented synergistic effect between the three general green leaf volatiles and the two specific aromatic compounds.     

The defensive secretion of Vitellus insularis (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

The defensive secretion of the guava bug, Vitellus insularis Stål, from Fiji was examined by gas liquid chromatography. Tridecane, trans‐dec‐2‐enal, and trans‐4‐ketohex‐2‐enal were identified, by comparison with reference compounds and by chemical treatment, as the main components.