Abstract
Mint plants enable improvement of pest management by attracting herbivore enemies to constitutively released mint volatiles. The generalist predator Nesidiocoris tenuis is used worldwide to control agricultural pests, but little is known about whether mint can serve as a companion plant that attracts this predator. To examine this, olfactory responses of N. tenuis were assessed using apple mint, candy mint, and spearmint as odor sources. Of the volatiles released by these mint species, candy mint volatiles alone were more attractive than those from undamaged eggplant, and were as attractive as volatiles from eggplant damaged with Spodoptera litura larvae. However, no prominent preference for particular volatile(s) among the mint volatiles was shown by O. strigicollis. When N. tenuis had been previously exposed to candy mint, the predator showed a stronger preference for candy mint volatiles than damaged eggplant volatiles. It was, however, irrelevant whether the predator received benefit or not by predating animal prey during the mint-experience period. In contrast, spearmint-experience increased the preference for spearmint volatiles only when the predator acquired prey during the mint-experience period. These findings suggest that previous exposure of N. tenuis to some particular mint species can increase its preference for volatiles from the conspecific mints.
Highlights
Mint plants enable improvement of pest management by attracting herbivore enemies to constitutively released mint volatiles
Candy) and spearmint (M. spicata L.) attract Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Phytoseiidae), a specialized predatory mite of Tetranychidae, but not Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Phytoseiidae)[14], a generalized predator that consumes mites and pollen, thrips, and other tiny arthropods[15]. These results were certainly unexpected because it was initially expected that the generalist N. californicus rather than the specialist P. persimilis would be responsive to mint volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
Naïve adults of N. tenuis tested in Y-tube olfactometer assays preferred VOCs released from candy mint, spearmint and apple mint (1, 2 or 4 grams fresh weight) when compared with clean air (P < 0.05, except in the cases of 1 gFW of candy mint [Z = 1.934, P = 0.053] and 2 gFW of apple mint [Z = 1.816, P = 0.069]) (Fig. 1)
Summary
Mint plants enable improvement of pest management by attracting herbivore enemies to constitutively released mint volatiles. Candy) and spearmint (M. spicata L.) attract Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Phytoseiidae), a specialized predatory mite of Tetranychidae, but not Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Phytoseiidae)[14], a generalized predator that consumes mites and pollen, thrips, and other tiny arthropods[15] These results were certainly unexpected because it was initially expected that the generalist N. californicus rather than the specialist P. persimilis would be responsive to mint VOCs. To the best of our knowledge about companion plants attracting generalist predators, the only other publications are reports showing that basil plants are able to attract the generalist predator green lacewing, Ceraeochrysa cubana Hagen (Chrysopidae)[16], but not another generalist predatory mirid bug, Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Miridae)[17]. In order to further our understanding of generalist predator attraction to CPs, in the current study we assessed the preference of two generalist predators, Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Miridae) and Orius strigicollis Poppius (Anthocoridae), for mint VOCs using a Y-tube olfactometer assay These insects are generalists and omnivores which can utilize both diverse animal and plant species as their diets. N. tenuis adults do not show such a VOC preference when they have not had such experience
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
