Attraction of Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) to volatiles of its natural host Vernonia condensata (Asteraceae)

Plant volatiles are important cues for the orientation of herbivorous insects. It is possible that these compounds indicate whether the plant is suitable for feeding and larval development, or for mating aggregation. Vernonia condensata (Asteraceae) is known to attract species of leafhoppers, most of them important vectors of the citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC). In this study, we evaluated the role of volatiles of V. condensata on the orientation of Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Four-arm olfactometer bioassays showed that only males were attracted to the volatiles of the host-plants Citrus sp. and V. condensata. Furthermore, fresh leaves of V. condensata induced a stronger response than volatiles from hexane-extracted leaves. This study opens the possibility to utilize V. condensata volatiles for pest management programs of B. xanthopis.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Bento,José Maurício Simões, Arab,Alberto, Zacarin,Giuliano Grici, Signoretti,André Gustavo Corrêa, Silva,José Wilson Pereira da
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" 2008
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-90162008000600010
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!