Attraction of Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to volatiles of its natural host Vernonia condensata (Asteraceae)

Plant volatiles are important cues for the orientation of herbivorous insects. It is possible that these compounds indicate whether the plant is suitable for feeding and larval development, or for mating aggregation. Vernonia condensata (Asteraceae) is known to attract species of leafhoppers, most of them important vectors of the citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC). In this study, we evaluated the role of volatiles of V. condensata on the orientation of Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Four-arm olfactometer bioassays showed that only males were attracted to the volatiles of the host-plants Citrus sp. and V. condensata. Furthermore, fresh leaves of V. condensata induced a stronger response than volatiles from hexane-extracted leaves. This study opens the possibility to utilize V. condensata volatiles for pest management programs of B. xanthopis.

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Modelling the role of host plant dispersion in the search success of herbivorous insects: Implications for ecological pest management

Ecological Modelling ◽

10.1016/0304-3800(95)00131-x ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 89 (1-3) ◽

pp. 183-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Stephen H. Levine ◽

Richard E. Wetzler

Keyword(s):

Pest Management ◽

Host Plant ◽

Herbivorous Insects

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Papain protects papaya trees from herbivorous insects: role of cysteine proteases in latex.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.1007367.201907 ◽

2004 ◽

Author(s):

Julia Kehr

Keyword(s):

Cysteine Proteases ◽

Herbivorous Insects

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Root-associated entomopathogenic fungi manipulate host plants to attract herbivorous insects

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80123-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Belén Cotes ◽

Gunda Thöming ◽

Carol V. Amaya-Gómez ◽

Ondřej Novák ◽

Christian Nansen

Keyword(s):

Host Plant ◽

Entomopathogenic Fungi ◽

Host Plants ◽

Near Infrared ◽

Delia Radicum ◽

Host Plant Selection ◽

Herbivorous Insects ◽

Herbivorous Insect ◽

Insect Performance ◽

Leaf Reflectance

AbstractRoot-associated entomopathogenic fungi (R-AEF) indirectly influence herbivorous insect performance. However, host plant-R-AEF interactions and R-AEF as biological control agents have been studied independently and without much attention to the potential synergy between these functional traits. In this study, we evaluated behavioral responses of cabbage root flies [Delia radicum L. (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)] to a host plant (white cabbage cabbage Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba cv. Castello L.) with and without the R-AEF Metarhizium brunneum (Petch). We performed experiments on leaf reflectance, phytohormonal composition and host plant location behavior (behavioral processes that contribute to locating and selecting an adequate host plant in the environment). Compared to control host plants, R-AEF inoculation caused, on one hand, a decrease in reflectance of host plant leaves in the near-infrared portion of the radiometric spectrum and, on the other, an increase in the production of jasmonic, (+)-7-iso-jasmonoyl-l-isoleucine and salicylic acid in certain parts of the host plant. Under both greenhouse and field settings, landing and oviposition by cabbage root fly females were positively affected by R-AEF inoculation of host plants. The fungal-induced change in leaf reflectance may have altered visual cues used by the cabbage root flies in their host plant selection. This is the first study providing evidence for the hypothesis that R-AEF manipulate the suitability of their host plant to attract herbivorous insects.

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