Electroantennogram responses of Adosomus sp. to volatile components from Artemisia ordosica

Abstract

Adosomus sp. eats the leaves and oviposits on the stems of Artemisia ordosica Krasch. Based on an analytical PTI-GC/MS method, 21 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the leaves of A. ordosica were identified. The major operating equipment consisted of a DB-5 column (30 m × 0.32 mm × 0.25 μm) and a flame ionization detector (FID). The amounts of the components from VOCs were determined by a peak area normalization method and 17 VOC components were identified by PTI-GC/MS. The electroantennogram (EAG) responses of Adosomus sp. to 17 of the VOCs were tested. The results show that seven compounds, i.e., ocimene, myrcene, R-(+)-α-pinene, caryophyllene, S-(+)-2-canene, humulene and (+)limonene elicited strong EAG responses by female Adosomus sp., with myrcene and ocimene eliciting the strongest responses. It is interesting to note that male Adosomus sp. presented different EAG responses from females to those compounds. Four volatile compounds: β-pinene, myrcene, trans-ocimene and longipinene elicited strong EAG responses to males with myrcene eliciting the strongest response.