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Oriented responses of carrot fly larvae, Psila rosae , to plant odours, carbon dioxide and carrot root volatiles
Author(s) -
JONES O. T.,
COAKER T. H.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.1977.tb00102.x
Subject(s) - biology , methyl eugenol , larva , host (biology) , daucus carota , botany , instar , eugenol , carbon dioxide , horticulture , tephritidae , pest analysis , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry
ABSTRACT. The responses of carrot fly larvae, Psila rosae , to host plant volatiles were studied. Two criteria for an oriented response were used: one based on whether an individual reached within 1.5 cm of the odour source and one involving analysis of the track patterns of larvae within 3 cm of the odour source. All larval instars were attracted to both host and non‐host plant material, though to a lesser degree by the latter; they were also attracted to CO 2 , but not to N 2 . A steam volatile fraction of carrot roots, and methyl eugenol, a volatile component of this fraction, also attracted the larvae, differentially at different concentrations. The possible roles of both CO 2 and the host‐specific secondary plant volatiles in the host plant finding behaviour of soil inhabiting arthropods are discussed.