Floral volatiles with colour cues from two cucurbitaceous plants causing attraction of Aulacophora foveicollis

Aulacophora foveicollis Lucas (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is an important phytophagous pest of two cucurbitaceous plants, Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng and Solena amplexicaulis (Lam.) Gandhi. The volatile organic compound profiles from flowers of M. cochinchinensis and S. amplexicaulis were identified and quantified by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) and GC‐flame ionization detector (FID) analyses. Twenty nine and 28 compounds were identified in volatiles of M. cochinchinensis and S. amplexicaulis flowers, respectively. Methyl jasmonate and 3‐octanol were the predominant volatiles of M. cochinchinensis flowers, whereas 1‐octadecanol and 1‐hexanol were most found in the headspace of S. amplexicaulis flowers. Aulacophora foveicollis were more attracted by the flower volatiles of M. cochinchinensis than by those of S. amplexicaulis in a glass Y‐tube olfactometer. A mixture of 1‐heptanol, linalool oxide, 1‐octanol, and nonanal in the proportions present in the headspace of both flower types elicited attraction in the insect. From 25 cm distance, A. foveicollis displayed a preference for artificial flowers of 6.5 cm diameter of S. amplexicaulis flower colour (white) over M. cochinchinensis flower colour (white‐yellow). Finally, a synthetic blend (0.43 μg 1‐heptanol + 1.44 μg linalool oxide + 0.14 μg 1‐octanol + 1.77 μg nonanal dissolved in 25 μl methylene chloride) attracted more beetles when applied in a white artificial flower than when applied in a white‐yellow artificial flower from 40 cm distance. This finding may be helpful in the development of traps for pest management strategies.     

Temporal changes in olfactory and oviposition responses of the diamondback moth to herbivore‐induced host plants

Temporal changes in the pre‐ and post‐alighting responses of mated female diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), to two species of Brassica (Brassicaceae) host plants induced by larval feeding were studied using olfactometer and oviposition assays. Females displayed strong olfactory and oviposition preferences for herbivore‐induced common cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. cv. sugarloaf) plants over intact plants; these preferences decreased with time and disappeared by the 7th day after induction. In herbivore‐induced common cabbage plants, eggs were clustered near feeding damage on the younger leaves (leaves 5–7), whereas in intact plants, eggs were clustered on the stem and lower leaves (leaves 1–4) . However, as the time interval between larval feeding and oviposition increased, more eggs were laid on the lower leaves of induced plants. This demonstrates a change in egg distribution from the pattern associated with induced plants to that associated with intact plants. In contrast, females displayed strong olfactory and oviposition preferences for intact Chinese cabbage [Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis (Lour.) Hanelt cv. Wombok] plants over induced plants; these preferences decreased with time and disappeared by the 5th day after induction. More eggs were laid on the upper leaves (leaves 4–6) than on the lower leaves (leaves 1–3) of intact Chinese cabbage plants at first, but the distribution changed over time until there were no significant differences in the egg count between upper and lower leaves by the 4th day post induction. For both host plant species, pre‐alighting responses of moths were reliable indicators of post‐alighting responses on the first 2 days post induction. The results suggest that temporal changes in a plant's profile (chemical or otherwise) following herbivory may influence attractiveness to an insect herbivore and be accompanied by changes in olfactory and oviposition preferences.     

Behavioural responses of wheat stem sawflies to wheat volatiles

1 Adult wheat stem sawflies Cephus cinctus, pests of cultivated cereals that also infests wild grasses, migrate into wheat fields where they oviposit in elongating, succulent stems.
2 Volatiles released by wheat plants at susceptible stages were analyzed to determine potential semiochemical compounds. Seven major compounds were identified and quantified.
3 A Y-tube bioassay was developed to evaluate upwind orientation of adult sawflies in response to an airstream that passed over elongated wheat plants. The bioassay was also conducted with synthetic volatile compounds. The compounds were tested using a range of concentrations spanning those identified in the airstream passing over wheat plants.
4 A significant number of adult females were attracted to wheat plants when given a choice of either purified air or the air passing over plants.
5 A significant number of female C. cinctus were attracted to ( Z )-3-hexenyl acetate, β-ocimene, and ( Z )-3-hexen-1-ol, but were repelled by 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one. Females did not respond to ( E )-2-hexenal, or ( E )-2-hexenyl acetate. The behavioural responses were concentration dependent; the highest tested concentration of ( Z )-3-hexenyl acetate was repellent to females of this species.
6 Adult males did not discriminate between air passing over wheat plants and air from a purified airstream. Males did not respond to any tested synthetic compound at any concentration.
7 The present study demonstrates for the first time that adult females of wheat stem sawfly display innate behaviours in response to synthetic volatiles. These results provide a basis for the potential development of resistant wheat varieties and for the development of semiochemically-based pest management.     

长足大竹象成虫体表信息化学物质的提取和鉴定

为了确定我国南方竹林主要害虫长足大竹象Cyrtotrachelus buqueti Guerin-Meneville雌虫是否存在诱引雄虫的化学信息素以及所释放的相关化学信息素的成分, 本研究利用风洞和“Y”型嗅觉仪测试到长足大竹象雄虫对雌虫及雌虫体表提取化合物具有正趋向行为反应, 随后用GC-EAD和GC-MS对雌虫体表提取化合物进行了分析。在GC-EAD分析时发现雄虫触角对雌虫体表粗提液和体表物质标准品化合物的触角电位反应时有5个GC峰有电生理活性; 通过质谱法确定这5个电生理活性GC峰的化学成分分别为苯酚、己酸乙酯、2-壬酮、壬醛和十五酸甲酯。风洞和GC-EAD分析表明, 这5种成分的标准品化合物对长足大竹象雄虫具有诱引生物活性和触角电生理活性。结果说明长足大竹象雌虫体表粗提液中存在的苯酚、己酸乙酯、2-壬酮、壬醛和十五酸甲酯是长足大竹象成虫的化学信息素物质。     

Attraction of pepper weevil to volatiles from damaged pepper plants

Pioneer herbivorous insects may find their host plants through a combination of visual and constitutive host‐plant volatile cues, but once a site has been colonized, feeding damage changes the quantity and quality of plant volatiles released, potentially altering the behavior of conspecifics who detect them. Previous work on the pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), demonstrated that this insect can detect and orient to constitutive host plant volatiles released from pepper [Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae)]. Here we investigated the response of the weevil to whole plants and headspace collections of plants damaged by conspecifics. Mated weevils preferred damaged flowering as well as damaged fruiting plants over undamaged plants in a Y‐tube olfactometer. They also preferred volatiles from flowering and fruiting plants with actively feeding weevils over plants with old feeding damage. Both sexes preferred volatiles from fruiting plants with actively feeding weevils over flowering plants with actively feeding weevils. Females preferred plants with 48 h of prior feeding damage over plants subjected to weevil feeding for only 1 h, whereas males showed no preference. When attraction to male‐ and female‐inflicted feeding damage was compared in the Y‐tube, males and females showed no significant preference. Wind tunnel plant assays and four‐choice olfactometer assays using headspace volatiles confirmed the attraction of weevils to active feeding damage on fruiting plants. In a final four‐choice olfactometer assay using headspace collections, we tested the attraction of mated males and virgin and mated females to male and female feeding damage. In these headspace volatile assays, mated females again showed no preference for male feeding; however, virgin females and males preferred the headspace volatiles of plants fed on by males, which contained the male aggregation pheromone in addition to plant volatiles. The potential for using plant volatile lures to improve pepper weevil monitoring and management is discussed.     

Anthocorid predators learn to associate herbivore-induced plant volatiles with presence or absence of prey

We investigated how the plant‐inhabiting, anthocorid predator, Anthocoris nemoralis, copes with variation in prey, host plant and associated herbivore‐induced plant volatiles and in particular whether the preference for these plant odours is innate or acquired. We found a marked difference between the olfactory response of orchard‐caught predators and that of their first generation reared on flour moth eggs in the laboratory, i.e. under conditions free of herbivory‐induced volatiles. Whereas the orchard‐caught predators preferred odour from psyllid‐infested pear leaves, when offered against clean air in a Y‐tube olfactometer, the laboratory‐reared first generation of (naive) predators did not. The same difference was found when a single component (methyl salicylate) of the herbivore‐induced plant volatiles was offered against clean air. After experiencing methyl salicylate with prey, however, the laboratory‐reared predators showed a pronounced preference for this volatile. This acquired preference did not depend on whether the volatile had been experienced in the juvenile period or in the adult phase, but it did depend on whether it had been offered in presence or absence of prey. In the first case, they were attracted to the plant volatile in subsequent olfactometer experiments, but when the volatile had been offered during a period of prey deprivation, the predators were not attracted. We conclude that associative learning is the most likely mechanism underlying acquired odour preference.     

The role of chemical cues in host finding and acceptance by Callosobruchus chinensis

We studied the response of female Callosobruchus chinensis to chemical cues emitted by cowpea seeds at different stages of bruchid infestation (uninfested, egg carrying, L1-, and L4-infested). Olfactory attractiveness was determined in Y-tube olfactometer assays by testing individual seed categories against either clean air or uninfested seeds. Oviposition preferences between uninfested and infested seeds were determined in petri-dish choice-experiments. The olfactometer assays revealed that weevils discriminate between seeds containing different stages of developing bruchids on the basis of olfactory cues. While odors from uninfested and egg-carrying seeds acted as attractants, odors from L1- and L4-infested seeds failed to induce a positive response by the bruchids. When given a choice between uninfested and infested seeds in the olfactometer, weevils preferred uninfested seeds over L1- and L4-infested seeds, but failed to distinguish between uninfested and egg-carrying seeds. In the oviposition experiment as well, bruchids showed a distinct preference for uninfested seeds when offered in combination with L1- and L4-infested seeds. This experiment further showed a reduced acceptance of egg carrying seeds. Our results indicate that C. chinensis females use chemical information during both host searching and host acceptance. Volatiles from uninfested or egg carrying seeds act as attractants, while deterrence increases as development of bruchid immature stages progresses.     

Orientation of carp, Cyprinm carpio L., to free amino acids from Tubifex extract in an olfactometer

We analysed the effects of L-amino acid combinations, tested at the same relative concentrations as in 500 mgl¹ of a filtrated Tubifex extract, on attraction and exploratory behaviour of juvenile carp, Cyprinus curpio L., in an olfactometer. Tubifex filtrate was significantly active in the range of concentrations tested (5 mgl⁻¹, 50 mgl⁻¹, 500 mgl⁻¹, 5 gl⁻¹). Maximum attraction was obtained in response to a concentration of 500 mg l⁻¹. Soluble TCA fraction and a mixture of the 17 synthetic amino acids found in this fraction also showed significant effects on attraction and exploratory behaviour. Tests of the four chemical groups of amino acids gave the following results: acidic amino acids (aspartic and glutamic) did not produce significant activity. Basic amino acids (histidine, arginine and lysine) and polar, uncharged amino acids (glycine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, asparagine and glutamine) were ineffective as attractants but significantly increased exploration. Non-polar amino acids (alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and methionine) showed significant effects on both attraction and exploration. In tests where different pairs of these amino acid groups were mixed it was shown that a combination of non-polar amino acids and polar uncharged amino acids was the most effective in inducing both attraction and exploration. The simplest combination to have a significant effect on both attraction and exploration was alanine, valine and glycine.
These results are discussed in the light of recent data on the role of free amino acids in the behaviour of fishes.     

The parasitic fly Nemorilla maculosa exploits host‐plant volatiles to locate the legume pod borer,Maruca vitrata

Nemorilla maculosa Meigen (Diptera: Tachinidae) is a solitary endoparasitoid of the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a key pest of cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (Fabaceae) in Africa. A colony of N. maculosa, introduced for experimental purposes from Taiwan to the laboratories of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Benin, was used for our studies. Olfactory reponses of N. maculosa to leaves of infested or uninfested cowpea and yellow peabush, Sesbania cannabina (Retz.) Pers. (Fabaceae), and to M. vitrata larvae were evaluated in a four‐arm olfactometer. For all combinations of odor sources, responses between naïve and oviposition‐experienced female flies did not differ. Nemorilla maculosa females were attracted by odors from uninfested leaves of yellow peabush and flowers of cowpea when compared with clean air, and they were attracted to plants damaged by M. vitrata with larvae removed. However, the female fly did not discriminate between odors from infested and uninfested plants. The parasitic fly N. maculosa proved well able to use volatile compounds from various host plants (peabush and cowpea) to locate its host, with a more pronounced attraction by the combination of host larvae and infested host plant parts. These findings are discussed in light of the prospective use of N. maculosa as a biological control agent against the legume pod borer.     

棉蚜茧蜂对某些挥发性次生化合物及棉蚜寄生植物的嗅觉反应(英)

本文利用四臂嗅觉计测定了雌性棉蚜茧蜂Lysiphlebia japonica对棉蚜四种寄主植物新鲜叶片、棉蚜和几种挥发性次生化合物的嗅觉反应,结果表明新鲜棉叶片和棉蚜的气味对棉蚜茧蜂有强烈的吸引作用,两者相混合使吸引作用明显增强;切碎的叶片比未切碎的叶片更具吸引作用。所测试的四种挥发性物质β-caryophyllene、heptanol、benzaldehyde和β-pinene,在浓度为0.01(体积分数)时,只有benzaldebyde对棉蚜茧蜂具有吸引作用,β-caryopbyllene和β-pinene对棉蚜茧蜂的吸引作用不明显,而heptanol对该蜂具有排斥作用。β-pinene在浓度为1(体积分数)时,也对该蜂具有排斥作用。对于棉蚜的四种寄主植物棉花、黄瓜、南瓜和丝瓜的完整叶片,棉蚜茧蜂只对棉花叶片产生定向反应,而对其它三种瓜类叶片没有反应。根据上述结果可以推知嗅觉在寄生蜂的寄主寻找过程中起着重要作用,绿叶气味物质和寄主气味可能是寄生蜂寻找寄主的远距离化学线索。棉蚜茧蜂对寄主定向是识别了特定化学指纹图谱,单一的某种化合物在寄主定向过程中所起的作用并不象预测的那样重要,而且组成图谱的物质并不是简单地混合在一起,而是相互作用,或加强或抑制。羽化前经历能够对寄生蜂的行为产生较大影响。