Olfactory response of female Cerotoma trifurcata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) to low-linolenic acid soybean

Linolenic acid is a precursor to volatile defense compounds in soybean. In order to examine the effect of altered linolenic acid level on the volatile emissions of soybean plants, a dual-choice olfactometer was used to measure the olfactory preference of female bean leaf beetles (BLB) Cerotoma trifurcata (Forster) for low-linolenic acid soybeans. Three soybean varieties with varying levels of linolenic acid were compared. Visual cues were eliminated in the olfactometer to focus plant selection to olfactory cues. In order to test both constitutive and induced defense volatiles, preference of BLB was measured for both damaged and undamaged plants of these varieties. Damaged plants were exposed to three female BLBs for 72 hours immediately before being placed in the olfactometer. Results pending at time of submission.