Non-Host Plant Volatiles Disrupt Sex Pheromone Communication in a Specialist Herbivore

Abstract

The ecological effects of plant volatiles on herbivores are manifold. Little is known, however, about the impacts of non-host plant volatiles on intersexual pheromonal communication in specialist herbivores. We tested the effects of several prominent constitutive terpenoids released by conifers and Eucalyptus trees on electrophysiological and behavioral responses of an oligophagous species, Plutella xylostella, which feeds on Brassicaceae. The non-host plant volatile terpenoids adversely affected the calling behavior (pheromone emission) of adult females, and the orientation responses of adult males to sex pheromone were also significantly inhibited by these terpenoids in a wind tunnel and in the field. We suggest that disruption of both pheromone emission and orientation to sex pheromone may explain, at least in part, an observed reduction in herbivore attack in polyculture compared with monoculture plantings. We also propose that mating disruption of both male and female moths with non-host plant volatiles may be a promising alternative pest management strategy.

Plant odor and sex pheromone are integral elements of specific mate recognition in an insect herbivore

“…It is conceivable that volatiles from nonhost plants (Wang et al. ), volatiles from damaged plants, such as DMNT (Fig. C; Hatano et al.…”

“…In some species, host plant volatiles increase male attraction toward sex pheromone Light et al 1993;Yang et al 2004;Schmidt-Büsser et al 2009;Varela et al 2011;von Arx et al 2012), whereas they produce an antagonistic effect in other species (Pregitzer et al 2012;Jung et al 2013;Party et al 2013;Rouyar et al 2015). It is conceivable that volatiles from nonhost plants (Wang et al 2016), volatiles from damaged plants, such as DMNT (Fig. 1C; Hatano et al 2015), or floral odorants, such as :20:4-blend of Z9,E11-14Ac, Z9-14Ac, E10,E12-14Ac and Z9,E12-14Ac Fig.…”

“…; Wang et al. ). This poses the question whether perception of host plant volatiles interacts with inadequate, heterospecific pheromone stimuli.…”

“…Inadequate plant stimuli, signaling damaged plants or nonhost plants that are unsuitable for oviposition, antagonize the male response to pheromone (Hatano et al 2015;Badeke et al 2016;Wang et al 2016). This poses the question whether perception of host plant volatiles interacts with inadequate, heterospecific pheromone stimuli.…”

Chemical components and bioactivity evaluation of extracts from pear (Pyrus UssuriensisMaxim) fruit

“…Compound 12 (Wang et al, ): (Z)‐11‐hexadecen‐1‐ol acetate: White powder, 1 H‐NMR (THF): δ 5.40 (2H, m, CH = CH), 4.05 (2H, t, J = 6.76 Hz, OCH 2 ), 0.90 (3H, m, Me). 13 C‐NMR (THF): δ 171.2 (C = O), 64.5 (C‐1), 31.9 (C‐2), 29.7 (C‐3), 29.5 (C‐4), 29.4 (C‐5), 29.4 (C‐6), 29.3 (C‐7), 29.2 (C‐8), 28.6 (C‐9), 27.2 (C‐10), 129.8 (C‐11), 129.8 (C‐12), 26.9 (C‐13), 25.9 (C‐14), 22.3 (C‐15), 21.0 (C‐16), 14.2 (C‐2').…”