Abstract
Bagrada hilaris Burmeister, is a stink bug native to Asia and Africa and invasive in the United States, Mexico, and more recently, South America. This species can cause serious damage to various vegetable crops in the genus Brassica, with seedlings being particularly susceptible to B. hilaris feeding activity. In this study, the role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by seedlings of three Brassica species on the host preference of B. hilaris was evaluated. In dual choice arena and olfactometer bioassays, adult painted bugs preferred B. oleracea var. botrytis and B. napus over B. carinata. Volatiles from B. oleracea seedlings were collected and bioassayed with B. hilaris adults and late stage nymphs, using electroantennographic (EAG) and behavioral (olfactometer) techniques. When crude extracts of the VOCs from B. oleracea var. botrytis seedlings and liquid chromatography fractions thereof were bioassayed, B. hilaris adults and nymphs were attracted to the crude extract, and to a non-polar fraction containing hydrocarbons, whereas there were no responses to the more polar fractions. GC-MS analysis indicated that the main constituents of the non-polar fraction was an as yet unidentified diterpene hydrocarbon, with trace amounts of several other diterpene hydrocarbons. The major diterpene occurred in VOCs from both of the preferred host plants B. oleracea and B. napus, but not in VOCs of B. carinata. Our results suggest that this diterpene, alone or in combination with one or more of the minor compounds, is a key mediator in this insect-plant interaction, and could be a good candidate for use in lures for monitoring B. hilaris in the field.
Highlights
The painted bug, Bagrada hilaris Burmeister, is an invasive stink bug which feeds mainly on brassicaceous hosts, and it seems damaging to crops in recently invaded areas [1]
In open vertical Y-shaped olfactometer bioassays (Fig 2), B. hilaris adults were more strongly attracted to B. oleracea var. botrytis than B. carinata volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (χ2 = 8.53, df = 1, P < 0.01 N = 120), and to B. napus than to B. carinata (χ2 = 10.80, df = 1, P < 0.01, N = 120)
The results described above provide strong evidence that host plant VOCs are exploited by both nymphs and adults of B. hilaris in location and possibly acceptance of their host plants
Summary
The painted bug, Bagrada hilaris Burmeister, is an invasive stink bug which feeds mainly on brassicaceous hosts, and it seems damaging to crops in recently invaded areas [1]. Recent electroantennographic studies showed that adults of this species perceive several plant VOCs, including octanal, nonanal, acetic acid, benzaldehyde, 3-butenyl isothiocyanate, and 4-pentenyl isothiocyanate [7, 9]. Among these chemicals, only isothiocyanates are characteristic to Brassica spp., and they are produced mainly upon damage to tissues rather than by undamaged plants [9, 17, 18]. These characteristics may change during plant development, and as a consequence, the attraction of B. hilaris may change with the development of its hosts [19]
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