Antibiotic properties of the glucosinolates of Brassica oleracea var. acephala similarly affect generalist and specialist larvae of two lepidopteran pests

Abstract

Glucosinolates may deter generalist insect feeding as their toxicity causes fitness damage, whereas insects specialized in brassicaceous plants may circumvent the toxic effect. By using no-choice leaf tests, we investigated whether larval development time, body weight, mortality and feeding rate of the generalist Mamestra brassicae (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) and the specialist Pieris rapae (Lepidoptera, Pieridae), were affected by six genotypes of Brassica oleracea var. acephala, selected for having high or low concentration of sinigrin, glucoiberin (aliphatics) and glucobrassicin (indole). Two phenological plant stages were used. On young plants, M. brassicae most consumed the high sinigrin and low glucoiberin genotypes. Larvae weighed more on the high sinigrin plants. Development time took longer on the low glucoiberin genotype. On mature plants, consumption rate decreased on the high glucoiberin genotype. Larval weight decreased on the high sinigrin, glucoiberin and glucobrassicin genotypes, and development time increased with high glucobrassicin concentration. Pupal weight and mortality rate increased on mature plants, irrespective of the genotype. Pieris rapae fed most on young plants with high sinigrin, and larval weight increased on the high glucoiberin genotype. Mortality increased with low glucoiberin and low glucobrassicin. On mature plants, larval weight decreased with high sinigrin and glucoiberin. The high glucoiberin genotype was the less consumed and also induced a longer development time. High content of aliphatic glucosinolates offered mature plants significant antibiosis defence against both the lepidopterans, whereas the indole glucosinolate was marginally effective. Young plants were more consumed and increased larval weight likely because glucosinolate concentration was still not optimal.