To cope with pathogen and insect attacks, plants develop different mechanisms of defence, in both direct (physical and chemical) and indirect ways (attractive volatiles to entomophagous beneficials). Plants are th...To cope with pathogen and insect attacks, plants develop different mechanisms of defence, in both direct (physical and chemical) and indirect ways (attractive volatiles to entomophagous beneficials). Plants are then able to express traits that facilitate "top-down" control of pests by attracting herbivore predators. Here we investigate the indirect defence mechanism of potato plants by analyzing the volatile patterns of both healthy and aphid- infested plants. Important changes in the emitted terpene pattern by the Myzus persicae infested host plant were observed. Using Solid Phase MicroExtraction (SPME) and GC-MS, the (E)-fl-farnesene (EBF) appeared to be emitted by aphid-infested potato and not by healthy plants. To assess the infochemical role of these volatile releases after aphid damage on the aphidophagous predators Episyrphus balteams, the hoverfly foraging behavior was assessed using the Observer 5.0 software (Noldus, Wageningen, The Netherlands). Aphidfree potato plants were also used as a control volatile source in the predator behavioral study. While aphid-infested plants induced efficient searching and acceptation behaviors leading to egg-laying, no kairomonal effect of healthy potato plants was observed, leading to longer immobility durations and shorter searching periods in the net cage. High oviposition rate of E. balteatus was observed when aphid-infested potato was used (mean of 48.9 eggs per laying and per female). On the other hand, no egg was produced by the hoverfly on healthy aphid-free plants. The E. balteatus foraging and reproductive behaviors according to the volatile emission from aphid-infested plants are discussed in relation to the potential use of active infochemical molecules in integrated aphid pest management.展开更多
Intraguild predation (IGP) can be an important factor influencing the effective- ness of aphid natural enemies in biological control. In particular, aphid parasitoid foraging could be influenced by the presence of p...Intraguild predation (IGP) can be an important factor influencing the effective- ness of aphid natural enemies in biological control. In particular, aphid parasitoid foraging could be influenced by the presence of predators. This study investigated the effect of larvae of the predatory hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus DeGeer (Diptera: Syrphidae) and the multicolored Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on the foraging behavior of the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) in choice experiments using a leaf disc bioassay. Wasp response to chemical tracks left by those predator larvae was also tested. Parasitoid behavior was recorded using the Observer (Noldus Information Technology, version 5.0, Wageningen, the Netherlands). The experiments were conducted under controlled environmental conditions using leaves of the broad bean plant, Viciafaba L. (Fabaceae) with Myzus persicae Sulzer (Homoptera: Aphididae) as the host complex. A. ervi females avoided aphid patches when larvae of either predator were present. A similar avoidance response was shown by A. ervi to aphid patches with E. balteatus larval tracks, whereas no significant response was observed to tracks left by H. axyridis larvae. It was concluded that IG predator avoidance shown by the aphid parasitoid A. ervi may be a factor affecting their distribution among host patches.展开更多
文摘To cope with pathogen and insect attacks, plants develop different mechanisms of defence, in both direct (physical and chemical) and indirect ways (attractive volatiles to entomophagous beneficials). Plants are then able to express traits that facilitate "top-down" control of pests by attracting herbivore predators. Here we investigate the indirect defence mechanism of potato plants by analyzing the volatile patterns of both healthy and aphid- infested plants. Important changes in the emitted terpene pattern by the Myzus persicae infested host plant were observed. Using Solid Phase MicroExtraction (SPME) and GC-MS, the (E)-fl-farnesene (EBF) appeared to be emitted by aphid-infested potato and not by healthy plants. To assess the infochemical role of these volatile releases after aphid damage on the aphidophagous predators Episyrphus balteams, the hoverfly foraging behavior was assessed using the Observer 5.0 software (Noldus, Wageningen, The Netherlands). Aphidfree potato plants were also used as a control volatile source in the predator behavioral study. While aphid-infested plants induced efficient searching and acceptation behaviors leading to egg-laying, no kairomonal effect of healthy potato plants was observed, leading to longer immobility durations and shorter searching periods in the net cage. High oviposition rate of E. balteatus was observed when aphid-infested potato was used (mean of 48.9 eggs per laying and per female). On the other hand, no egg was produced by the hoverfly on healthy aphid-free plants. The E. balteatus foraging and reproductive behaviors according to the volatile emission from aphid-infested plants are discussed in relation to the potential use of active infochemical molecules in integrated aphid pest management.
文摘Intraguild predation (IGP) can be an important factor influencing the effective- ness of aphid natural enemies in biological control. In particular, aphid parasitoid foraging could be influenced by the presence of predators. This study investigated the effect of larvae of the predatory hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus DeGeer (Diptera: Syrphidae) and the multicolored Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on the foraging behavior of the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) in choice experiments using a leaf disc bioassay. Wasp response to chemical tracks left by those predator larvae was also tested. Parasitoid behavior was recorded using the Observer (Noldus Information Technology, version 5.0, Wageningen, the Netherlands). The experiments were conducted under controlled environmental conditions using leaves of the broad bean plant, Viciafaba L. (Fabaceae) with Myzus persicae Sulzer (Homoptera: Aphididae) as the host complex. A. ervi females avoided aphid patches when larvae of either predator were present. A similar avoidance response was shown by A. ervi to aphid patches with E. balteatus larval tracks, whereas no significant response was observed to tracks left by H. axyridis larvae. It was concluded that IG predator avoidance shown by the aphid parasitoid A. ervi may be a factor affecting their distribution among host patches.