Bacterial volatiles from aphid honeydew mediate ladybird beetles oviposition site choice
BACKGROUND
The cotton-melon aphid Aphis gossypii Glover is a destructive pest worldwide that causes substantial damage to diverse crops. The ladybird beetle Propylea japonica Thunberg is the dominant predatory natural enemy of A. gossypii. To date, the chemical cues of P. japonica associated with the selection of oviposition sites remain unclear.
RESULTS
Our results revealed that crude honeydew, but not sterilized honeydew, was strongly attractive to mated P. japonica. A total of eight bacterial strains were isolated from crude honeydew, with two (Acinetobacter sp. and Pseudomonas sp.) showing significant attractiveness. Volatiles from these bacteria were identified, and three compounds—DL-lactic acid, 4, 6-dimethyl-2-heptanone, and didodecyl phthalate—were found to significantly attract mated P. japonica in olfactometer assays. Further cage experiments confirmed that P. japonica preferred oviposition sites near these volatile substances.
期刊介绍:
Pest Management Science is the international journal of research and development in crop protection and pest control. Since its launch in 1970, the journal has become the premier forum for papers on the discovery, application, and impact on the environment of products and strategies designed for pest management.
Published for SCI by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.