Host Plant Volatiles and the Sexual Reproduction of the Potato Aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae

Insects

Jessica Hurley²  Hiroyuki Takemoto¹  Junji Takabayashi¹ 

[1] Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University 2-509-3, Hirano, Otsu 520-2113, Japan; E-Mails:;Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada; E-Mail:

关键词: potato aphid;    Macrosiphum euphorbiae;    sexual morphs;    mate location;    female sex pheromone;    host plant volatiles;   

DOI  :  10.3390/insects5040783

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

In late summer, heteroecious aphids, such as the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae, move from their secondary summer host plants to primary host plants, where the sexual oviparae mate and lay diapausing eggs. We tested the hypothesis that volatiles of the primary host, Rosa rugosa, would attract the gynoparae, the parthenogenetic alate morph that produce oviparae, as well as the alate males foraging for suitable mates. In wind tunnel assays, both gynoparae and males oriented towards and reached rose cuttings significantly more often than other odour sources, including potato, a major secondary host. The response of males was as high to rose cuttings alone as to potato with a calling virgin oviparous female. These findings are discussed within the seasonal ecology of host alternating aphids.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.