Wednesday, December 13, 2006 - 11:00 AM
1033

The significance of chemical cues in the behavior of pear psylla

Victoria Soroker, sorokerv@agri.gov.il, The Volcani Center, Department of Entomology, P.O.B. 6, Bet-Dagan, Israel

Pear psyllids are important pests of commercial pear, most notably Cacopsylla pyricola (Förster), C. pyri (L.), and C. bidens (Šulc), stressing the need for identification of pear psylla specific behavior modulating cues. The present study aimed to clarify the role of volatile stimuli originating from the host plant as well as from conspesifics in the mechanism of host plant and mate location in C. bidens. Behavioral responses towards volatiles from host plant and conspesifics were studied in males and females pear psylla using Y-olfactometer. Perception of volatiles by the antennae was evaluated by Electroantenogram. Chemical communication was shown to play a role in the behavior of pear psylla, C. bidens. Males were found to be attracted to females, and especially to those on host plants, but not to males, un-infested host plants or plants infested with conspecific larvae. On the other hand, females were not attracted to males or females but displayed some attraction to host plants. Furthermore, females showed a preference for un-infested pear versus plants infested with conspecific larvae. The antennae of males gave highest electroantenographic response to volatiles from pears infested with females but not males, whilst females, responded also towards the volatiles of pear alone. These results indicate that females of C. bidens emit sex pheromones that are attractive to the males and suggest that, host-plant derived volatiles may play a role in its selection by pear psylla females.


Species 1: Hemiptera Psyllidae Cacopsylla pyricola (pear psylla)

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