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Elevated CO 2 may alter pheromonal communication in Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Author(s) -
Choi Kyung San,
Ahn SeungJoon,
Kim Su Bin,
Ahn Jeong Joon,
Jung Bong Nam,
Go Sang Wook,
Kim DongSoon
Publication year - 2018
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/phen.12239
Subject(s) - pheromone , biology , helicoverpa armigera , noctuidae , lepidoptera genitalia , sex pheromone , insect , zoology , botany
Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) as a greenhouse gas has been increasing in recent decades. Because an elevated atmospheric CO 2 influences insect physiology and behaviour, we hypothesize that pheromone–mediated communication in the moth is affected by an increased CO 2 level. We test the behavioural responses of male Helicoverpa armigera to sex pheromone in a wind tunnel, demonstrating a significant reduction of approaching behaviour to the odour source at a high CO 2 level (1000 ppm). Electroantennogram (EAG) responses of male to the pheromone component are also significantly suppressed in high CO 2 environments (600 and 1000 ppm), indicating that a high CO 2 level inhibits both behavioural and electrophysiological responses of male to the sex pheromone. Interestingly, the EAG response of the whole head preparation of males is influenced more by the elevated CO 2 level than that of the antenna‐cut preparation. A sequential increase of CO 2 levels from an ambient CO 2 level also decreases the EAG response of the whole head but not of the labial palp‐removed head, implying a potential mediation of labial palp in the head where the CO 2 receptor is located. By contrast, sex pheromone production in females reared under or shifted to an elevated CO 2 condition is increased, and the putative underlying mechanism for this is discussed. The present study provides an insight into the adaptive strategy of moth pheromone communication in a changing environment.