Flight behaviour of the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae, and the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae, in host and non‐host plant odour

Abstract

Abstract. Walking alate virginoparae of Brevicoryne brassicae (L.) and Aphis fabae Scopoli were presented with odours of steam‐distilled extracts of the non‐host plants summer savoury (Satureja hortensis L.) and tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) in an olfactometer. No effects of the extracts were observed on B. brassicae. However, A.fabae were repelled by summer savoury and tansy odour; both extracts also masked an attractant response to bean (host plant) odour. In a flight chamber, air permeated with odour from host or non‐host plants was blown over flying alates of both species, with a green, plant‐mimicking target presented once a minute. The incidence of targeted (host‐responsive) flight of B.brassicae was not affected by odour from a growing host plant (Brassica oleoracea) or a non‐host plant tansy. Host plant (Vicia faba) odour did not affect the initial rate of climb or the incidence of targeted flight of A.fabae, but when the bean odour was alternated with odour from non‐host tansy plants a greater number of targeted flights occurred in the host plant odour. The volatile extracts of tansy and summer savoury were also presented to flying A.fabae. Aphids flying in air permeated with tansy odour at 450g plant equivalents initiated fewer targeted flights than when flying in clean air. However, no differences in flight behaviour were observed with summer savoury extract. In a horizontal wind tunnel the tansy extract at 90 g plant equivalents blown across the surface of yellow targets reduced the numbers of alate A.fabae landing. The results indicate that plant odours can affect flight and landing of aphids.