title: Formic and Acetic Acids in Degradation Products of Plant Volatiles Elicit Olfactory and Behavioral Responses from an Insect Vector.
abstract: Volatile phytochemicals play a role in orientation by phytophagous insects. We studied antennal and behavioral responses of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri, vector of the citrus greening disease pathogen. Little or no response to citrus leaf volatiles was detected by electroantennography. Glass cartridges prepared with β-ocimene or citral produced no response initially but became stimulatory after several days. Both compounds degraded completely in air to a number of smaller molecules. Two peaks elicited large antennal responses and were identified as acetic and formic acids. Probing by D. citri of a wax substrate containing odorants was significantly increased by a blend of formic and acetic acids compared with either compound separately or blends containing β-ocimene and/or citral. Response surface modeling based on a 4-component mixture design and a 2-component mixture-amount design predicted an optimal probing response on wax substrate containing a blend of formic and acetic acids. Our study suggests that formic and acetic acids play a role in host selection by D. citri and perhaps by phytophagous insects in general even when parent compounds from which they are derived are not active. These results have implications for the investigation of arthropod olfaction and may lead to elaboration of attract-and-kill formulations to reduce nontarget effects of chemical control in agriculture.
authors: Subtropical Insects and Horticultural Research Unit, United States Horticultural Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 2001 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA and.
authors: Justin
authors: J
authors: George
authors: Subtropical Insects and Horticultural Research Unit, United States Horticultural Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 2001 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA and.
authors: Paul S
authors: PS
authors: Robbins
authors: Subtropical Insects and Horticultural Research Unit, United States Horticultural Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 2001 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA and.
authors: Rocco T
authors: RT
authors: Alessandro
authors: Entomology and Nematology Department, Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 700 Experiment Station Road, Lake Alfred, FL, 33850, USA.
authors: Lukasz L
authors: LL
authors: Stelinski
authors: Subtropical Insects and Horticultural Research Unit, United States Horticultural Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 2001 South Rock Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34945, USA and stephen.lapointe@ars.usda.gov.
authors: Stephen L
authors: SL
authors: Lapointe
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000475:Alkenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D057506:Arthropod Antennae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005561:Formates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000080462:Acyclic Monoterpenes; D000475:Alkenes; D005561:Formates; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; C443996:beta-ocimene
keywords: Asian citrus psyllid; electroantennography; insect feeding behavior; insect–plant interactions