Physical and chemical traits affecting the oviposition preference of honeysuckle geometrid, Heterolocha jinyinhuaphaga Chu among honeysuckle varieties

Abstract

Oviposition preference is an important aspect of insect reproduction, females are able to evaluate the nutritional and structural properties of a plant and normally oviposit on the plant with suitable characteristics, thereby allowing their offspring to feed on a high-quality food source to enhance the offspring’s survival rate. Understanding of the host plant oviposition preferences of phytophagous insects may help to develop insect-resistant cultivars for use in integrated pest management. In this study, we investigated the physical and chemical traits that affect the oviposition preference of Heterolocha jinyinhuaphaga Chu among different honeysuckle varieties (wild variety, Jiufeng 1, Xiangshui 1, and Xiangshui 2) under laboratory conditions. The oviposition preference of H. jinyinhuaphaga differed among the four host plant varieties, with both oviposition quantity and oviposition percentage orders being wild variety > Jiufeng 1 > Xiangshui 2 > Xiangshui 1. Taxis response test using the Y-tube olfactometer obtained similar results, showing the response percentages of 91.67%, 87.47%, 81.78%, and 78.36% for the wild variety, Jiufeng 1, Xiangshui 2, and Xiangshui 1, respectively, compared with the air control. Correlation analysis indicated that both oviposition quantity and oviposition percentage by H. jinyinhuaphaga on the four host varieties were positively correlated with the soluble sugar content, protein content, total flavonoid content, and chlorogenic acid content of leaves, but negatively correlated with the hair density, hair length, water content, and fat content of leaves. Further path analysis indicated that protein content had the main effect on the oviposition quantity by H. jinyinhuaphaga. These results provide an important basis for breeding and developing insect-resistant honeysuckle varieties.