FOOD PLANT RELATIONSHIPS OF THE DIAMOND‐BACK MOTH (PLUTELLA MACULIPENNIS (CURT.)): I. Gustation and Olfaction in Relation to Botanical Specificity of the Larva

Abstract

The exclusion of botanical species from the food plant range of the diamond‐back moth larva is determined not only by the infrequency of adequate stimulants for feeding but also by a high frequency of occurrence of feeding inhibitors. A few plant species lack feeding inhibitors but are excluded by a deficiency of feeding stimulants. Some plants are devoid of decisive feeding inhibitors and contain effective feeding stimulants but yet are excluded as host plants by the possession of toxic principles. At least one plant species, Pisum sativum, devoid of mustard oil glucosides, is sufficiently palatable, nutritious and free of toxicants to support successive generations of Plutella larvae in the laboratory. The free mustard oils in the natural host plants apparently tend to inhibit dispersal of the larvae. Resume L'exclusion d'espèces botaniques comme plantes pouvant servir de nourriture à la larve de Plutella maculipennis est detérminée non seulement par la rǎreté de stimulants nécessaires pour que l'insecte se nourrisse mais aussi par la présence fréquente de substances qui empěchent l'insecte de se nourrir. Quelques espèces de plantes qui n'ont pas de substances qui empěchent l'insecte de se nourrir, sont excluées par une déficience de stimulants. Certaines plantes n'ont pas de substances qui empěchent l'insecte de se nourrir et contiennent des stimulants efficaces, mais cependant elles sont excluées comme plantes nourricières par la possession de principes toxiques. Au moins une espèce de plante, Pisurn sativum, qui ne possède pas les glucosides d'huile de moutarde, est assez agréable au goǔt, nourrissante et privée de toxines pour pouvoir soutenir des générations successives de larves de P. maculipennis dans la laboratoire. Les huiles de moutarde des plantes nourricières naturelles semblent empěcher la dispersion des larves.

Identification of chemical imposition stimulants for the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, present in three species of Brassicaceae

“…This may explain why the host range of the diamondback moth is thought to be 'essentially coincident with the botanical distribution of glucosinolates' (Gupta & Thorsteinson, 1960a). We have also found that the adult diamondback moth does not discriminate between different side-chain structures of glucosinolates.…”

Differential Effects of Indole and Aliphatic Glucosinolates on Lepidopteran Herbivores

“…2a, b). Glucosinolates are not an absolute requirement for food acceptance, as P. xylostella can be raised over several generations on artificial diets or P. sativum (sweet pea; Gupta and Thorsteinson, 1960), which do not contain glucosinolates.…”

Complex inheritance of larval adaptation in Plutella xylostella to a novel host plant

“…There is evidence that some standing genetic variation for the ability to feed on legumes and on other host plant species exists in DBM populations: DBM has occasionally been found on plants other than Brassicaceae, among them plants from the Fabaceae family (Robinson et al, 2010). Gupta and Thorsteinson (1960) showed that some DBM larvae were able to survive on legumes under laboratory conditions. Moreover, an unrelated C-strain responded to laboratory selection on pea to increase its survivorship to nearly 50% over six generations (Lö hr and Gathu, 2002).…”