Summary
Sesquiterpene lactone glaucolide-A from Vernonia, incorporated in the rearing diets of five species of Lepidoptera, significantly reduced the rate of growth of larvae of the southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania; fall armyworm, S. frugiperda; and yellowstriped armyworm, S. ornithogalli. Quantitative feeding tests demonstrated that decreased feeding levels and reduced growth resulted from ingestion of a sesquiterpene lactone. Ingestion of glaucolide-A increased the number of days to pupation in four of the species. In the southern armyworm, it significantly reduced pupal weight. Glaucolide-A decidedly reduced percentage of survival of southern and fall armyworms. Yellow woollybear, Diacrisia virginica, and cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, larvae were essentially uneffected by the ingestion of the sesquiterpene lactone. Sesquiterpene lactones adversely affect growth rate and survival of certain insects that feed upon plants containing them. They apparently function as defensive products, screening out a portion of the potential herbivores.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdel-Baset, Z.H., Southwick, L., Padolina, W.G., Yoshioka, H., Mabry, T.J., Jones, S.B.: Sesquiterpene lactones: a survey of 21 United States taxa from the genus Vernonia (Compositae). Phytochemistry 10, 2201–2204 (1971)
Bailey, D.L., Chada, H.L.: Effects of natural (sorghum) and artificial (wheat germ) diets on development of the corn earworm, fall armyworm, and southwestern corn borer. J. Econ. Entomol. 61, 257–260 (1968)
Bottger, G.T., Patana, R.: Growth, development, and survival of certain Lepidoptera fed gossypol in the diet. J. Econ. Entomol. 59, 1166–1168 (1966)
Burnett, W.C., Jones, S.B., Mabry, T.J., Padolina, W.G.: Sesquiterpene lactones — insect feeding deterrents in Vernonia. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 2, 25–29 (1974)
Burnett, W.C., Jones, S.B., Mabry, T.J. Evolutionary implications of sesquiterpene lactones in Vernonia (Compositae) and mammalian herbivores. Taxon 26, 203–207 (1977a)
Burnett, W.C., Jones, S.B., Mabry, T.J.: Evolutionary implications of herbivory on Vernonia (Compositae). Pl. Syst. Evol. 128, 277–286 (1977b)
Burnett, W.C., Jones, S.B., Mabry, T.J.: Influence of sesquiterpene lactones of Vernonia (Compositae) on oviposition preferences of Lepidoptera. Amer. Midl. Natur. (1978)
Burton, R.L., Perkins, W.D.: WSB, a new laboratory diet for the corn earworm and fall armyworm. J. Econ. Entomol. 65, 385–386 (1972)
Butt, B.A., Cantu, E.: Sex determination of lepidopterous pupae. U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 33-75. 7 p. (1962)
Chew, F.S.: Coevolution of pierid butterflies and their cruciferous foodplants. I. The relative quality of available resources. Oecologia 20, 117–127 (1975)
Crumb, S.E.: Tobacco cutworms. U.S. Dept. Agr., Tech. Bull. 88 (1925)
Duncan, D.B.: Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics 11, 1–42 (1955)
Feeny, P.: Effect of oak leaf tannins on larval growth of the winter moth, Operophthera brumata. J. Insect Physiol. 14, 805–817 (1968)
Gordon, H.T.: Nutritional factors in insect resistance to chemicals. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 6, 27–54 (1961)
Harley, K.L.S., Thorsteinson, A.J.: The influence of plant chemicals on the feeding behavior, development and survival of the two-striped grasshopper, Melanoplus bivittatus (Say), Acrididae: Orthoptera. Can. J. Zool. 45, 305–319 (1967)
Jarvis, J.L., Guthrie, W.D.: Relation of horticultural characteristics of peppers to damage by larvae of the European corn borer. Iowa State J. Sci. 46, 463–470 (1972)
Kasting, R., McGinnis, A.J.: Quantitative relationship between consumption and excretion of dry matter by larvae of the pale western cutworm, Agrotis orthogonia Morr. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Can. Entomol. 94, 441–443 (1962)
Kramer, C.Y.: Extension of multiple range tests to group means with unequal numbers of replications. Biometrics 12, 307–310 (1956)
Krieger, R.I., Wilkinson, C.F.: Microsomal mixed-function oxidases in insects. I. Localization and properties of an enzyme system effecting aldrin epoxidation in larvae of the southern armyworm (Prodenia eridania). Biochem. Pharmacol. 18, 1403–1415 (1969)
Mabry, T.J., Bohlmann, F.: Summary of the chemistry of the Compositae. In Chemistry and Biology of the Compositae (V. Heywood, J.B. Harborne, and B.L. Turner, eds.). New York-London: Academic Press 1977
Mabry, T.J., Abdel-Baset, Z., Padolina, W.G., Jones, S.B.: Systematic implications of flavonoids and sesquiterpene lactones in species of Vernonia. Biochem. System. Ecol. 2, 185–192 (1974)
Mayer, E.L., Babers, F.H.: Head-capsule measurement of southern armyworm larvae [Prodemia eridania (Cramer)]. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 37, 214–220 (1944)
McEwen, F.L., Hervey, G.E.R.: Mass-rearing the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, with notes on its biology in the laboratory. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 53, 229–234 (1960)
Mulkern, G.B., Toczek, D.R.: Effect of plant extracts on survival and development of Melanoplus differentialis and M. sanguinipes (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 65, 662–671 (1972)
Painter, R.H.: The food of insects and its relation to resistance of plants to insect attack. Amer. Natur. 70, 547–566 (1936)
Parr, J.C., Thurston, R.: Toxicity of nicotine in synthetic diets to larvae of the tobacco hornworm. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 65, 1185–1188 (1972)
Redfern, R.E.: Instars of southern armyworm determined by measurement of head capsule. J. Econ. Entomol. 60, 614–615 (1967)
Reese, J.C., Beck, S.D.: Effects of allelochemics on the black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon; Effects of p-benzoquinone, hydroquinone, and duroquinone on larval growth, development, and utilization of food. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 69, 59–67 (1976a)
Reese, J.C., Beck, S.D.: Effects of allelochemics on the black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon; Effects of catechol, L-dopa, dopamine, and chlorogenic acid on larval growth, development, and utilization of food. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 69, 68–72 (1976b)
Rehr, S.S., Bell, E.A., Janzen, D.H., Feeny, P.P.: Insecticidal amino acids in legume seeds. Biochem. Syst. 1, 63–67 (1973a)
Rehr, S.S., Janzen, D.H., Feeny, P.P.: L-dopa in legume seeds: a chemical barrier to insect attack. Science 181, 81–82 (1973b)
Rodriguez, E., Dominguez, X.A.: Sesquiterpene lactones: chemotaxonomy, biological activity and isolation. Rev. Latinoamer. Quim. (1977)
Shaver, T.N., Lukefahr, M.J.: Effect of flavonoid pigments and gossypol on growth and development of the bollworm, tobacco budworm, and pink bollworm. J. Econ. Entomol. 62, 643–646 (1969)
Shorey, H.H.: The biology of Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). II. Factors affecting adult fecundity and longevity. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 56, 476–480 (1963)
Shorey, H.H., Hale, R.L.: Mass-rearing of larvae of nine noctuid species on a simple artificial medium. J. Econ. Entomol. 58, 522–524 (1965)
Thorsteinson, A.J.: The role of host selection in the ecology of phytophagous insects. Can. Entomol. 85, 276–282 (1953)
Waldbauer, G.P.: Quantitative relationship between the numbers of fecal pellets, fecal weights and the weight of food eaten by tobacco hornworms, Protoparce sexta (Johan.) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae). Entomol. Exp. Appl. 7, 310–314 (1964)
Yoshioka, H., Mabry, T.J., Timmerman, B.N.: The sesquiterpene lactones: Chemistry, NMR and plant distribution. Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Vernonieae: Compositae
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jones, S.B., Burnett, W.C., Coile, N.C. et al. Sesquiterpene lactones of Vernonia — influence of glaucolide-A on the growth rate and survival of Lepidopterous larvae. Oecologia 39, 71–77 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345998
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345998