Disturbance of the Main Body Metabolites in Larvae and Pupae of Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by Certain Sesquiterpene Compounds

Abstract

The Egyptian cotton leafworm Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) is a dangerous pest of many field crops and vegetables in the world. The present study was conducted to investigate the disturbing effects of the sesquiterpene compounds, Farnesol, Nerolidol, and Bisabolol, on the main body metabolites in larvae and pupae of this insect. The newly moulted last (6 th ) instar larvae were treated with LC 50 values of these compounds (33.67, 42.24 and 59.31 ppm, respectively) and the determination of the main metabolites was achieved in haemolymph and fat bodies of larvae and the homogenate of pupae. The most important results could be summarized as follows. The present study recorded predominant reducing effects of these compounds on the protein content in larvae and pupae with an exceptional enhancing effect of some compounds at certain ages of last instar larvae. Also, the lipid content in haemolymph and fat bodies of larvae as well as in the pupae was remarkably reduced. In addition, all compounds exhibited predominant reducing effects on the carbohydrate content in haemolymph and fat bodies of larvae and in the pupae, with two exceptions of increasing carbohydrate content in larval haemolymph (at 24 hr post-treatment) and in larval fat bodies by Nerolidol (at 72 hr post-treatment).