Experience-induced habituation and preference towards non-host plant odors in ovipositing females of a moth.
In phytophagous insects, experience can increase positive responses towards non-host plant extracts or induce oviposition on non-host plants, but the underlying chemical and behavioral mechanisms are poorly understood. By using the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, its host plant Chinese cabbage, and a non-host plant Chrysanthemum morifolium, as a model system, we observed the experience-altered olfactory responses of ovipositing females towards volatiles of the non-host plant, volatiles of pure chemicals (p-cymene and alpha-terpinene) found in the non-host plant, and volatiles of host plants treated with these chemicals. We assessed the experience-altered oviposition preference towards host plants treated with p-cymene. Naive females showed aversion to the odors of the non-host plant, the pure chemicals, and the pure chemical-treated host plants. In contrast, experienced females either became attracted by these non-host odors or were no longer repelled by these odors. Similarly, naive females laid a significantly lower proportion of eggs on pure chemical-treated host plants than on untreated host plants, but experienced females laid a similar or higher proportion of eggs on pure chemical-treated host plants compared to untreated host plants. Chemical analysis indicated that application of the non-host pure chemicals on Chinese cabbage induced emissions of volatiles by this host plant. We conclude that induced preference for previously repellent compounds is a major mechanism that leads to behavioral changes of this moth towards non-host plants or their extracts.
Wang
Hua
H
Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, China.
Guo
Wen-Fei
WF
Zhang
Peng-Jun
PJ
Wu
Zhi-Yi
ZY
Liu
Shu-Sheng
SS
D000818:Animals; D001937:Brassica / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology*; D031202:Chrysanthemum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000469:parasitology*; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D000081007:Cymenes; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009036:Moths / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009812:Odorants; D010058:Oviposition; D010675:Pheromones / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D000081007:Cymenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010675:Pheromones; C007210:4-cymene; C018669:gamma-terpinene