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High‐performance liquid chromatography‐diode array detection‐electrospray ionization multi‐stage mass spectrometric screening of an insect/plant system: the case of Spodoptera littoralis / Lycopersicon esculentum phenolics and alkaloids
Author(s) -
Ferreres Federico,
Taveira Marcos,
GilIzquierdo Angel,
Oliveira Luísa,
Teixeira Tânia,
Valentão Patrícia,
Simões Nelson,
Andrade Paula B.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.5077
Subject(s) - chemistry , spodoptera littoralis , lycopersicon , chromatography , electrospray ionization , mass spectrometry , electrospray , botany , noctuidae , pest analysis , biology
High‐performance liquid chromatography‐diode array detection‐electrospray ionization multi‐stage mass spectrometry (HPLC‐DAD‐ESI‐MS n ) is considered to be a very valuable tool for the characterization of compounds found in trace amounts in natural matrices, as their previous isolation and clean‐up steps can be avoided. Micro‐scale separation increases the potential of this analytical technique, allowing the determination of compounds in reduced samples. Spodoptera littoralis represents a major challenge to Solanaceae plants, as it is one of the most deleterious pests. The S. littoralis / Lycopersicon esculentum system was studied for the first time concerning glycoalkaloids and phenolics. Using HPLC‐DAD‐ESI‐MS n we were able to characterize 15 phenolic compounds in L. esculentum leaves. Nine of them are reported for the first time. Some differences were found between leaves of cerasiforme and 'Bull's heart' varieties. However, in the materials of S. littoralis (larvae, adults, exuviae and excrements) reared in both L. esculentum leaves no phenolics were identified. α‐Tomatine was the main glycoalkaloid in the host plant. The glycoalkaloid composition of the different S. littoralis materials was distinct, with α‐tomatine and dehydrotomatine being the main detected compounds in larvae and excrements. These results add knowledge to the ecological interaction in this insect/plant duo, for which it is hard to obtain considerable sample amounts. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.