BioControl (2014) 59, 29-43

Kerstin Büchel, Nadine Austel, Micaela Mayer, Jonathan Gershenzon, Trevor M. Fenning and Torsten Meiners (2014)
Smelling the tree and the forest: elm background odours affect egg parasitoid orientation to herbivore induced terpenoids
BioControl 59 (1), 29-43
Abstract: Parasitic insects use herbivore induced plant volatiles as signals for host location. However, their responses to these volatiles in the background of natural habitat odours need further evaluation for developing successful biological control strategies. Field elms (Ulmus minor Miller (Ulmaceae)) release a blend of volatiles in response to oviposition of the elm leaf beetle, Xanthogaleruca luteola Müller (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a major urban and forest pest in the USA and Australia. This induced blend attracts the beneficial egg parasitoid Oomyzus gallerucae Fonscolombe (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Our olfactory assays showed that an odorous background of non-attractive host plant volatiles from feeding damaged elms or (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate masks the attractive effect of the host-induced (E)-β-caryophyllene to O. gallerucae. Quantitative GC-MS analyses revealed decreased concentrations of (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate accompanied by highly increased concentrations of sesquiterpenes in oviposition and feeding treated elms compared to undamaged elms. This finding hints to how the parasitoid might distinguish between different odorous backgrounds. It is corroborated by the outcome of our field study in natural elm stands, where the egg parasitoid parasitized more host egg masses due to an artificially induced blend of elm terpenoids.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Torsten Meiners

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Xanthogaleruca luteola	Elm (Ulmus)
Oomyzus gallerucae (parasitoid)	Xanthogaleruca luteola	Elm (Ulmus)