Olfaction in Host Plant Selection of the Soybean Aphid Aphis glycines

Du, Yongjun; Yan, Fushun; Han, Xinli; Zhang, Guangxue

Olfaction in Host Plant Selection of the Soybean Aphid Aphis glycines

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Results from a behavioral study using a four-armed olfactometer (Vet et al, 1983) showed that alate and apterous virginopara of Aphis glycines were clearly attracted or arrested by volatiles from Glycine max, its secondary host plant, and Rhamnus davurica, its primary host plant. The attractiveness of G. max was greater than that of R. davurica. Chemical analysis indicated that there is some difference in the volatile profiles between these two plant species. The volatiles from two nonhost plant species Gossypium hirsutrm and Cucumis sativa, which are the most suitable host plants of another aphid A. gossypii closely related to A. glycines, were found to be neutral. However, the odors of Luffa cylindrical and Cucurbita pepo significantly repelled the alate virginopara of A. glycines. Thus, the olfactory response of A. glycines to these host and nonhost plants implies the evolutionary transition of A. glycines in host plant specificity. Blending the odors from nonhost plants Gossypium hirsutum, Luffa cylindrical and Cucurbita pepo with the attractive odor of host plant G. max blocked the attractiveness of the latter to the alate virginopara of A. glycines. It thus appeared that attractiveness of host plant to aphids can be disrupted by the presence of nonhost plant volatiles which have presumably masked the host plant odor, and the lack of attractiveness of the blended odors is caused by the change in volatile profile.
Originating text in Chinese.
Citation: Du, Yongjun, Yan, Fushun, Han, Xinli, Zhang, Guangxue. (1994). Olfaction in Host Plant Selection of the Soybean Aphid Aphis glycines. Kun chong xue bao. Acta entomologica Sinica, 37(4), 385-392.