Performance of cabbage stem flea beetle larvae (Psylliodes chrysocephala) in brassicaceous plants and the effect of glucosinolate profiles

Abstract

The cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), Psylliodes chrysocephala L. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most important pests in European winter oilseed rape production. Adult beetles feed on young leaves whereas larvae mine within the petioles and stems. Larval infestation can cause significant crop damage. In this study, the host quality for CSFB of four oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cultivars and seven other brassicaceous species with different glucosinolate (GSL) profiles was assessed under controlled conditions. Larval instar weights and mortality were measured after 14 and 21 days of feeding in the petioles of test plants. To study the impact of GSL on the performance of larvae, the GSL contents in petioles from non-infested and infested plants were analysed before, and 21 days after, the start of larval infestation. Larval performance was not significantly different between the four cultivars of oilseed rape, but differed considerably among the other brassicaceous species tested. In comparison to the weight of larvae in the standard B. napus cv. Robust, the larval weight was higher in turnip rape (Brassica rapa L. var. silvestris) and significantly reduced in white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), oil radish (Raphanus sativa L. var. oleiformis), and cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. convar. capitata var. alba). The duration of larval development increased in white mustard and oilseed radish. The GSL profiles of the petioles showed little difference between non-infested and infested plants of oilseed rape whereas the content of aliphatic GSL increased in the infested turnip rape plants. In contrast, the aliphatic and benzenic GSL decreased in infested Indian rape (B. rapa subsp. dichotoma Roxb.). Larval weight was not correlated with the total GSL content of plants, neither before infestation nor 21 days after. Larval weight was positively correlated with progoitrin and 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin. White mustard, which provides inferior host quality for larval development, has the potential to introduce insect resistance into high-yielding oilseed rape cultivars in breeding programmes.

Integrated pest management strategies for cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala) in oilseed rape

“…More recent and ongoing research on larger OSR genotype sets seems to indicate some variability in resistance but results are inconsistent between laboratory and field trials (Cook et al, unpublished data; Thursfield et al, 2020 ). No differences in larval infestation between genotypes have been found (Döring & Ulber, 2020 ; White, 2016 ; White et al, 2020 ). However, mechanisms that confer insect resistance in other closely related Brassica species can also be used in OSR breeding programmes via introgression.…”

“…However, mechanisms that confer insect resistance in other closely related Brassica species can also be used in OSR breeding programmes via introgression. Interspecific variability of CSFB adult feeding has been tested (Bartlet & Williams, 1991 ; Lambdon et al, 1998 ), and CSFB larvae have reduced weight and higher mortality when developing in white mustard compared to OSR (Döring & Ulber, 2020 ). Introgression of resistance to insects from this species to OSR has already been achieved (Gavloski et al, 2000 ; Kott & Dosdall, 2004 ) and could be possible for CSFB.…”

Perspectives for integrated insect pest protection in oilseed rape breeding

“…C. assimilis ) Increased: neoglucobrassicin, glucosinalbin, gluconapin Decreased: gluconasturtiin, neoglucobrassicin 3-butenyl isothiocyanate—positive 4-pentenyl isothiocyanate—positive 2-phenylethyl isothiocyanate—positive Ulmer and Dosdall ( 2006 ); Evans and Allen-Williams ( 1998 ); Tansey et al ( 2010a and 2010b ) Coleoptera/alticini Cabbage stem flea beetle ( Psylliodes chrysocephalus syn. P. chrysocephala ) Increased: none Decreased: progoitrin, 4-hydroxy-glucobrassicin, none Sinigrin—neutral Glucobrassicin—positive Gluconapin—positive Glucotropaeolin—positive Döring and Ulber ( 2020 ); Bartlet et al ( 1994 and 1996 ) Crucifer flea beetle (Phyllotetra cruciferae) Increased: sinalbin, gluconapin Decreased: progoitrin Sinalbin—negative Glucoheirolin—neutral Glucocapparin—positive Glucoiberin—positive Glucotropaeolin—positive Sinigrin—positive Bodnaryk ( 1991 ); Hicks ( 1974 ); Soroka and Grenkow ( 2013 ) Lepidoptera Diamondback moth ( Plutella xylostella ) Increased: none Decreased: total GSL, glucobarbarin, gluconasturtiin Allyl isothiocyanate—negative Sinigrin—neutral Glucobarbarin—positive Gluconasturtiin—positive Badenes-Pérez et al ( 2020 and 2014 ); Hariprasad and van Emden ( 2010 ); Li et al ( 2000 ) Bertha armyworm ( Mamestra configurata ) Increased: isothiocyanate-releasing GSL, sinalbin, sinigrin Decreased: none Allyl isothiocyanate—negative Sinalbin—negative Sinigrin—negative Indole-3-carbinol—neutral McCloskey and Isman ( 1993 ); Bodnaryk ( …”

Effects of BrMYC2/3/4 on Plant Development, Glucosinolate Metabolism, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Resistance in Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

“…GSs and their hydrolysis products are known to play essential roles in plant-insects and plant-microbes' interactions (Pastorczyk et al, 2020;Ji et al, 2021). For example, isothiocyanates (ITCs), 4-hydroxyglucobrassicin (4-OHGBC), and 4-methoxyglucobrassicin (4MeGBC) are involved in plant resistance against pests (Pfalz et al, 2019;Döring and Ulber, 2020;Shukla and Beran, 2020), as well as plant innate immunity (Clay et al, 2009;Pangesti et al, 2016;Chen et al, 2020). ITCs are the main volatile compounds resulting from the hydrolysis of GSs; 3-butenyl-(55.6-71.8%) and 5-methylsulfinylpentyl-ITC (0-9.5%) originate from gluconapin (GNA) and glucoalyssin (GAS), respectively (BlaŽević et al, 2011).…”