Host feeding experience affects host plant odour preference of the polyphagous leafminer Liriomyza bryoniae

Abstract

Herbivorous insects use highly specific volatiles or blends of volatiles characteristic to particular plant species to locate their host plants. Thus, data on olfactory preferences can be valuable in developing integrated pest management tools that deal with manipulation of pest insect behaviour. We examined host plant odour preferences of the tomato leafminer, Liriomyza bryoniae (Kaltenbach) (Diptera: Agromyzidae), which is an economically important agricultural pest widespread throughout Europe. The odour preferences of leafminers were tested in dependence of feeding experiences. We ranked host plant odours by their appeal to L. bryoniae based on two‐choice tests using a Y‐tube olfactometer with five host plants: tomato, Solanum lycopersicum Mill.; bittersweet, Solanum dulcamara L.; downy ground‐cherry, Physalis pubescens L. (all Solanaceae); white goosefoot, Chenopodium album L. (Chenopodiaceae); and dead nettle, Lamium album L. (Lamiaceae). The results imply that ranking of host plant odours by their attractiveness to L. bryoniae is complicated due to the influence of larval and adult feeding experiences. Without any feeding experience as an adult, L. bryoniae males showed a preference for the airflow with host plant odour vs. pure air, whereas females did not display a preference. Further tests revealed that adult feeding experience can alter the odour choice of L. bryoniae females. After feeding experience, females showed a preference for host plant odour vs. pure air. Feeding experience in the larval stage influenced the choice by adults of both sexes: for males as well as females reared on bittersweet the odour of that plant was the most attractive. Thus, host feeding experience both in larval and/or adult stage of polyphagous tomato leafminer L. bryoniae influences host plant odour preference by adults.

Transient and Permanent Experience with Fatty Acids Changes Drosophila melanogaster Preference and Fitness

“…In insects, embryonic and larval experience can affect adult feeding [37], [38], [39], [40] and oviposition preference [41], [42], [43], [44]. Our data reveal that transient and permanent exposure to food molecules can change D. melanogaster food oviposition preference and fitness.…”

“…Genetic and sensory adaptation to environment can influence life-history traits in vertebrates and invertebrates [32] , [33] , [34] , [35] , [36] . In insects, embryonic and larval experience can affect adult feeding [37] , [38] , [39] , [40] and oviposition preference [41] , [42] , [43] , [44] . Our data reveal that transient and permanent exposure to food molecules can change D. melanogaster food oviposition preference and fitness.…”

How do sex and sexual maturation influence the response of Monochamus galloprovincialis to host odours?

“…Yet, ontogenic shifts in cues used for host recognition or in host plant preference have been detected in several beetle species (Janz et al. ; Radžiute and Būda ) and within taxonomic groups between sexes (see, e.g., Cabrera Walsh et al. ).…”

“…Much fewer studies addressed the question of host finding cues in reproductively immature Monochamus beetles. Yet, ontogenic shifts in cues used for host recognition or in host plant preference have been detected in several beetle species (Janz et al 2005;Rad ziute and B uda 2013) and within taxonomic groups between sexes (see, e.g., Cabrera Walsh et al 2014). They have been observed for M. alternatus and Phoracantha semipunctata in their responses to host volatiles (Barata and Ara ujo 2001).…”

Phenotypic plasticity in host plant preference of the willow leaf beetlePhratora vulgatissima: the impact of experience made by adults

“…The experiences made by insects may either be associated with a positive stimulus (associative learning) or with cues affecting the insect negatively (aversion learning); however, also without exposure to associated conditioning stimuli, exposure to plant cues can affect host plant choices positively (sensitization) or negatively (habituation) (Menzel & Müller, ). Experience‐mediated host plant preferences of insects are usually expressed as olfactory preferences mediated by volatile plant cues (Cunningham et al ., ; Harari & Landolt, ; Radžiutė & Būda, ) or feeding (Saxena & Schoonhoven, ; Bernays & Weiss, ; Santana & Zucoloto, ) and oviposition preferences mediated especially by contact/taste cues (Prokopy et al ., ; Cunningham et al ., ; Liu et al ., ; Coyle et al ., ).…”