Insect olfactory systems can efficiently distinguish important host signals in a complex background of odor. Notably, Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), a host-specific pest of Litchi chinensis and Euphoria longan, causes periodic outbreaks in southern China. However, little is known about the functions of host volatiles and olfactory mechanisms through which C. sinensis senses

In flammability assessment, the terpene effect is usually studied using their total or subgroup content, missing, therefore, the information that could be provided by the molecules themselves. In this study, the specific role of terpenes on leaf flammability was sought comparing different levels of terpene identification—total, subgroup (i.e. mono-, sesqui-, and diterpene), and single compound—as well

Plants that naturally accumulate aluminium (Al) may also inadvertently accumulate rare earth elements (REEs) due to the similar chemical properties of Al and REE trivalent ions, and vice versa. In this study, an Al hyperaccumulator plant species, Melastoma malabathricum, and a species known to have a propensity to hyperaccumulate REEs (in addition to Al), Dicranopteris linearis, were evaluated for

Two components of the Synanthedon bicingulata sex pheromone, (E,Z)-3,13-octadecadienyl acetate (E3,Z13-18:OAc) and (Z,Z)-3,13-octadecadienyl acetate (Z3,Z13-18:OAc), were synthesized to investigate the effect of pheromone blends, trap type and trap color on the capture of S. bicingulata males. The optimal sex pheromone ratio for E3,Z13-18:OAc and Z3,Z13-18:OAc was approximately 4.3:5.7 based on the

Endophytic fungi have the potential to enhance plant resistance to various stresses and promote the ecological adaptation of the hosts. To evaluate the effects of the riparian endophytes on rice seedlings to flooding tolerance, here we screened out two fungi from the plant Myricaria laxiflora growing in the Yangtze River zone. Through morphological characteristics and rDNA ITS (internal transcriber

Free-ranging giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China recently were reported to rub and roll in horse manure, a behavior that was observed frequently at low ambient temperatures. Two sesquiterpenes, β-caryophyllene (BCP) and caryophyllene oxide (BCPO), that are abundant in fresh horse manure elicited rolling in captive giant pandas. Mice and rats treated with BCP/BCPO exhibited enhanced cold

Insects in several orders deposit marking pheromones following oviposition. In addition to preventing the female from visiting the same site again, the pheromone also signals the presence of eggs to conspecific females. This form of chemical marking is particularly prevalent in species which oviposit on discrete hosts with limited resources available for developing larvae. The pepper weevil is a major

In this work, we discussed and counter-commented Paul J. Weldon's comments on our recent paper (Zhou et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 117:32493, 2020a), where we reported that BCP/BCPO (beta-caryophyllene/caryophyllene oxide) in fresh horse manure is sufficient to drive manure rolling behavior (HMR) in giant panda and attenuate the cold sensitivity of mice by directly targeting and inhibiting transient

A variety of models have been used in mating bioassays of insects to assess the contribution of chemical and visual signals to mate location and mate selection. Although the use of such ‘dummies’ has had varying degrees of success, some insect species refuse to accept simplistic models. In the present study, we developed a 3D-printed model to explore whether more realistic models will be more successful

In insects, chemical communication is the most common form of communication, and cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are employed in recognition processes. In social insects, CHCs also help define colony identity and thus contribute to social cohesion among nestmates. Individuals can deposit their chemical signatures on nest surfaces. This information serves as a reference for newly emerged individuals and

Olfaction plays a major role in the host-finding behaviors of insects. However, the irregularity of insect responses to odor interactions has hindered our efforts to draw broad conclusions about how a host-finding insect uses the complex mixture of various odor plumes in natural environments. Particularly, it is still unclear so far why the use of non-host odors to control insect pests in practices

Stink bugs (Pentatomidae) produce volatile chemical substances in the scent glands, with unpleasant odors that function as alarm and defense signals against natural enemies. The contents of the scent glands of the predatory Podisus nigrispinus and its prey, the phytophagous Euschistus heros were used to evaluate the behavioral interactions between these two insects. Quantitative and qualitative analyses

An underlying assumption of optimal foraging models is that animals are behaviorally, morphologically, and physiologically adapted to maximize their net energy intake. Here we explored whether this concept applies to web-building spiders in a multi-trophic context. If a spider were to build her web next to herbivore-fed-on plants that signal the herbivores’ enemies for help by emitting herbivore-induced

European foulbrood (EFB), caused by Melissococcus plutonius, is a globally distributed bacterial brood disease affecting Apis mellifera larvae. There is some evidence, even if under debate, that spreading of the disease within the colony is prevented by worker bees performing hygienic behaviour, including detection and removal of infected larvae. Olfactory cues (brood pheromones, signature mixtures

Nickel hyperaccumulation in Blepharidium guatemalense Standl. (Rubiaceae) was found in the tropical forests of south-eastern Mexico. This study aimed to document the geographic extent of nickel hyperaccumulation in this species, to understand its process of hyperaccumulation and to explore nickel distribution within the tissues of this plant. To accomplish these objectives, a complete non-destructive

Gonipterus weevils have been a taxonomic challenge for many years, with implications on our understanding of invasive species, host plant relationships and natural enemies. We assessed cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) analysis as a tool for discrimination of some of the many species of Gonipterus occurring in Australia. Weevils were collected across several localities and kept under identical conditions

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Bactrocera bryoniae is a polyphagous and economically significant fruit fly found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. To understand chemical-mediated sexual communication, and the potential for novel pheromone-based attractants for monitoring and mass-trapping of B. bryoniae, rectal gland exudates and emissions from sexually mature males and females were investigated. Gas chromatography–mass

The West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart), infests a wide diversity of tropical fruit. Previous studies suggest that A. obliqua adults are attracted to volatile compounds common in different hosts. However, to date, most studies have used ripe fruit for the identification of attractive compounds. In this study, we investigated the attraction of sexually mature A. obliqua females and

In social insects, chemical communication is the main communication mode among colony members, which use the blends of cuticular hydrocarbons as recognition cues to discriminate between nestmates and non-nestmates and to prevent the exploitation of their nest resources by aliens. The aim of this study was to assess the variation of nestmate recognition cues in the ant Ectatomma ruidum, a species complex

A major hypothesis for the evolution of chemical signals is that pheromones arise from non-communicative precursor compounds. However, data supporting this hypothesis are rare, primarily because the original functions of the antecedent compounds often have been lost. A notable exception, however, is the parasitoid wasp species Leptopilina heterotoma, whose compound (−)-iridomyrmecin is used as a defensive

Raspberry ketone (RK) supplements provided together with sugar and yeast hydrolysate accelerate sexual maturation and increase mating success of Queensland fruit fly (‘Qfly’) males. However, the mechanisms underlying this enhanced mating ability are currently unknown. Volatiles are an important element of Qfly sexual calling and courtship and so changes in volatiles quantity or quality may be involved

Volatile organic compounds derived from microbes recruit insects to carrion, shaping community assembly and ecological succession. The importance of individual volatiles and interactions between volatiles are difficult to assess in the field because of (1) the myriad compounds from decomposing animals and (2) the likelihood that complex volatile blends are important for the final approach to carrion

The transition from a perennial to an annual life cycle, as well as domestication, are expected to increase plant growth and reproduction at the same time that anti-herbivore defences are reduced. Here, we investigated the effects of the life-history transition (the perennial teosinte Zea diploperennis to the annual teosinte Z. mays ssp. mexicana) and domestication of Zea (annual teosinte to the modern

The use of chemical pesticides as a main pest control strategy has been highly criticised due to environmental pollution and negative effects on natural enemies of pests. In modern farming, it is essential to implement integrated pest management approaches that seek to control insect pests without causing environmental damage, e.g. the use of companion plants. Basil and Mexican marigold are often used

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Apple proliferation disease is caused by the phloem-dwelling bacterium ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma mali’, inducing morphological changes in its host plant apple, such as witches’ broom formation. Furthermore, it triggers physiological alterations like emission of volatile organic compounds or phytohormone levels in the plant. In our study, we assessed phytoplasma-induced changes in the phloem by sampling

The ability of Australian native metallophytes to tolerate extreme metal concentrations in the soil and other difficult edaphic conditions is still not well understood. Copper is an essential micronutrient for plants to survive, but at high concentrations (> 20 µg g−1) in plant tissues, it can cause foliar chlorosis, stunted growth, and ultimately plant death. The Roseby Corridor in Central Queensland

The Neotropical family Serritermitidae is a monophyletic group of termites including two genera, Serritermes and Glossotermes, with different way-of-life, the former being the sole obligatory inquiline among “lower” termites, while the latter is a single-site nester feeding on dry rotten red wood. Like the most advanced termite’s family, the Termitidae, the Serritermitidae is an inner group of the

Mating and oviposition behavior can change the gene expression levels in insect antennae, especially for pheromone-binding protein (PBP) genes. In this study, we observed the development of the ovaries in the yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée), from its early emergence to full maturity. Sex pheromones in the sex gland reached their highest quantity and influenced the expression of

Many species of parasitoid wasps use plant volatiles to locate their herbivorous hosts. These volatiles are reliable indicators of host presence when their emission in plants is induced by herbivory. Hyperparasitoids may also use information from lower trophic levels to locate their parasitoid hosts but little is known about the role of volatiles from the plant–host complex in the foraging behavior

From intra-individual regulation of metabolism to entire ecosystem functioning, the thousands of biogenic compounds produced by organisms serve as a major component of ecological and evolutionary diversity mediating interactions across scales. Earlier work considers canonical reactions, defined as reactions specified along accepted (experimentally validated or theoretically postulated) biosynthetic

The interactions between Dacini male fruit flies and phytochemical male lures are unique. Lure response, fate and its effects after consumption on fruit fly mating behaviour are species- and lure-specific. Bactrocera frauenfeldi is known to respond to the phenylbutanoids raspberry ketone (RK) and cue lure (CL), anisyl acetone (AA), and zingerone (ZN), which are produced by some rainforest orchids.

Females of two click beetle species, Cardiophorus tenebrosus and C. edwardsi (Coleoptera: Elateridae), produce methyl (3R,6E)-2,3-dihydrofarnesoate as their sex pheromone. We had serendipitously discovered that males of both species were also strongly attracted to (R)-fuscumol acetate ((E)-6,10-dimethylundeca-5,9-dien-2-yl acetate), a known longhorned beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) pheromone, due

When burying beetles first emerge as adults, they search for well-rotted carcasses with fly maggots on which to feed. After attaining reproductive competence, they switch their search and respond to a small, fresh carcass to prepare for their brood. Because the cues used to locate a feeding versus a breeding resource both originate from carrion, the beetles must respond to subtle changes in volatiles

Reliance on broad-spectrum insecticides and chemotherapeutic agents to control hematophagous insect vectors, and their related diseases is threatened by increasing insecticide and drug resistance, respectively. Thus, development of novel, alternative, complementary and effective technologies for surveillance and control of such insects is strongly encouraged. Semiochemicals are increasingly developed

Chemical communication is pivotal for social insects to ensure proper functioning of their colonies. Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are the most well-known class of compounds used to regulate different types of behavioural interaction within a social context. Queens of highly eusocial insects rely on the use of chemical communication to keep their reproductive monopoly, whereas queens of primitively

Thapsigargin and related compounds are produced by Thapsia garganica L. (Apiaceae) and are thought to be a defence compound against herbivory. Thapsigargin inhibits the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) in both vertebrates and invertebrates. This activity is responsible for its potent toxicity, as well as the potential use to treat solid tumours. However, the ecological role and regulation

The pre-excavation activity of the neonate larvae of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is typically confined to an arena that encircles the base of their egg stick. If the caterpillars are unable to penetrate the host plant within the arena, they strike off en masse in search of a more favorable site, marking their pathway with secretions from their mandibular glands. One component of

Southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann) and black turpentine beetle (Dendroctonus terebrans Olivier) are two sympatric bark beetle pests of the southeastern United States of America that adversely affect pine (Pinus spp.) health. Successful host tree colonization and reproduction is dependent on a chemical communication system that includes compounds produced by both the beetles and

Plant cystatins play crucial roles in the process of plant defense against herbivorous insects. A cDNA clone, designated CsCPI2, was isolated from Camellia sinensis cv. Longjing 43 using 5′-/3′-RACE extension. The full-length cDNA gene is 618 bp in size, encodes 205 amino acid residues, and has a deduced molecular weight of 23.07 kDa. CsCPI2 was different from the already published CsCPI1, as the two

The expansion of sugarcane plantations in Brazil and the discarding of vinasse into the sugarcane field have been speculated to contribute to the growing population of the billbug Sphenophorus levis. This beetle attacks the root system and forms galleries in rhizomes, causing damage or even the death of host plants. It has been suspected that vinasse, a residue from ethanol production, can release

Pseudacteon curvatus and P. obtusus are two species of parasitic phorid flies (Diptera: Phoridae), introduced in the southern USA for biological control of Solenopsis fire ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). The preference of both parasitoid species (P. curvatus and P. obtusus) for native Solenopsis fire ants (S. geminata complex) versus imported fire ants, S. saevissima complex (S. invicta and S. richteri)

By understanding the intraspecific differences of traits presented by a species, we can gain greater insight into their variable functionality in microevolutionary processes relative to genetic and environmental factors leading to ecological adaptation and speciation. However, few studies have evaluated how intraspecific variation of cuticle hydrocarbons (CHCs) occurs in relation to the apolar part

The cucumber moth (CM), Diaphania indica (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a major lepidopteran pest of cucurbitaceous plants that caterpillars feed on vegetative tissue of the plants and thereby cause loss of crops. Previous work has shown that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by host plants attract gravid CM females for oviposition, but the compounds responsible for this attraction

Accumulating evidence in the literature suggests that oleic acid functions as a necromone across widely divergent insect taxa. The prevelance of this phenomenon has not been fully explored, and its application to pest management remains underdeveloped. Khapra beetle (KB), Trogoderma granarium, is a pest of stored grains, with larvae that can enter facultative diapause and remain cryptic in warehouses

Atta mexicana is a polyphagous insect that can exploit a wide range of plant species to cultivate its main food source, the symbiotic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. In the present study, we evaluated the foraging rate of A. mexicana workers among leaves of three favored and three rejected plant species under laboratory conditions. In addition, we conducted a phytochemical characterization of leaves

Insects live in a dangerous world and may fall prey to a wide variety of predators, encompassing multiple taxa. As a result, selection may favour defences that are effective against multiple predator types, or target-specific defences that can reduce predation risk from particular groups of predators. Given the variation in sensory systems and hunting tactics, in particular between vertebrate and invertebrate

Cyanogenic insects release cyanide and other breakdown products that are thought to make them unpalatable to predators. Cyanogenic lepidopterans such as Heliconius butterflies and Zygaena moths are rejected by vertebrate predators, but the role played by these compounds in predator deterrence is poorly explored. Here I report tests undertook with captive domestic chicks (Gallus gallus) to evaluate

Lathyrus sativus L. (Fabaceae) is an important pulse crop of Asia, Europe, and Africa. Infestation by the aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) causes stunted growth of plants and reduces seed production. Females lay nymphs on the leaves and flowers of L. sativus. Hence, it is relevant to study the importance of leaf wax compounds (long-chain alkanes and free fatty acids) from two cultivars

The chemical environment, and the natural resources available in which our species has evolved has been crucial for the establishment of our medical practices. Here we present a brief review of the insights provided by chemical ecology to understand the evolution of medical practices since ancestral hominids to modern humans, as well as their implications for the search for new drugs of natural origin

The gustatory system plays vital roles in food selection and feeding behaviours, as well as in other life activities in insects. In the process of taste perception, the functions of gustatory receptors are extremely important for insects. Trichogramma chilonis, a species of egg parasitoid, is often used as an effective biocontrol agent for agricultural and forestry pests. The utilization of T. chilonis

Numerous allelopathic plant secondary metabolites impact plant–microorganism interactions by injuring plant-associated beneficial bacteria and fungi. Fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma positively influence crops, including benzoxazinone-containing maize. However, benzoxazinones and their downstream metabolites such as benzoxazolinone and phenoxazinones are often fungitoxic. Specimen Trichoderma

In nature some successful invasive plants grow faster and are better chemical defenders than native plants, which appears to contradict the conventional theory that plant growth and chemical defense are trade-offs in terms of the allocation of limited resources. Using greenhouse experiments we compared the growth, chemical defensive matters (condensed tannins and total phenolics) and energy-use strategies

It is a commonly known fact that all ground beetles possess abdominal pygidial glands with relatively similar gross structure and function among species. Still, morphology of the glands and composition of their secretions have not been studied in most ground beetle species. These exocrine glands and their products are mainly associated with defence in natural environments. In this paper, we studied

The flora of Papua New Guinea is amongst the richest in the world with an estimated 25,000 plant species. The extreme levels of biodiversity, climatic ranges and soil types suggest a high possibility of metal hyperaccumulator plants existing in Papua New Guinea. However, no hyperaccumulator plants have been reported from this region yet. The use of handheld X-ray fluorescence instruments is a non-destructive

Cereal rye (Secale cereale) cover crops supply many agroecosystem services in cropping systems including the provision of allelochemicals for weed suppression. Understanding the distinction between root and shoot relative contributions of these allelochemicals (such as phenolic acids) should provide better insight for residue management following termination of a cereal rye cover crop. A field experiment

The epiphytic orchid Luisia teres (Asparagales: Orchidaceae) releases floral scent that attracts males of the cupreous polished chafer Protaetia pryeri pryeri (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) for pollination. We analyzed this floral scent to identify the attractant(s). When various flower parts were extracted with diethyl ether and assayed, male chafers were attracted to the extract of petals but not to

Actinopyga mauritiana, Bohadschia marmorata, Holothuria leucospilota, H. edulis, H. atra and H. polii are the abundant sea-cucumbers inhabiting either Red or Mediterranean Sea shore in Egypt. The aim of this study was to elucidate the metabolic content in the tegument of the selected sea-cucumbers using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC/HRMS)

Allelopathic plant extracts have been proposed as natural herbicides, and as an alternative to synthetic herbicides. However, further studies are still required on the active principles of these extracts as well as on their soil dynamics and weed control effects in the field. We carried out the bioguided isolation of active compounds of EtOH extract of the ornamental plant, Cortaderia speciosa, with