Abstract
Plant volatiles from cabbage and chrysanthemum were studied as to how they affect behavior of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae (L.). Chemical, electrophysiological, and behavioral techniques were used. The electroantennographic (EAG) evaluation of selected compounds from Brassi-caceae showed that isothiocyanates (NCS) elicited weak responses, and some did not evoke significant EAG responses at all. Green leaf volatiles (GLVs) evoked the strongest responses in both male and female antennae. The capacity of NCS to stimulate upwind flight of mated females was not different at doses of 10−7, 10−6, or 10−5 g when tested in a wind tunnel. At the higher doses, allyl NCS stimulated upwind flight in the females more than the other compounds. Allyl NCS was significantly better than the other compounds at stimulating females to land on targets. Mated females flew upwind and landed on the targets with allyl NCS more often than virgin females and males. With respect to the behavioral activity of GLVs, only (E)-2-hexenal and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate elicited upwind flight and landing in females. Ten compounds were identified from a chrysanthemum extract by using coupled gas chromatography–electroantennography. Five of these, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, 1-8-cineole, α-terpinene, chrysanthenone, and camphor, elicited upwind flight of mated females, but only three stimulated landing.
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Rojas, J.C. Electrophysiological and Behavioral Responses of the Cabbage Moth to Plant Volatiles. J Chem Ecol 25, 1867–1883 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020985917202
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020985917202