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Volatile emissions from the flea beetle Altica litigata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) associated with invasive Ludwigia hexapetala

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Abstract

The flea beetle Altica litigata (Chrysomelidae) is an insect herbivore to plants within the families Lythraceae and Onagraceae, including ornamentals such as crape myrtle, Lagerstroemia spp. This insect is important both as a pest species and as a naturally occurring biological control agent due to its aggregate feeding behavior, which typically results in severe defoliation of the host plant. Despite the negative economic impact to ornamentals and contrary benefits as a biological control agent, there are few reports on the semiochemical communication of this family of insects. Uruguayan primrose-willow (Ludwigia hexapetala) is an invasive aquatic weed in California and serves as a host to A. litigata. To better characterize this association, the volatile emissions of A. litigata were collected while the flea beetles were: in containers by themselves, in containers with L. hexapetala leaves, in situ on L. hexapetala leaves in a growth chamber, and in situ on L. hexapetala leaves in the field. For comparison, the volatile emissions of A. litigata associated with two subspecies of creeping water primrose (L. peploides) were also evaluated. Two himachalene-type sesquiterpenes, showing the same carbon skeleton as compounds previously reported from Aphthona flava and Epitrix fuscula, were detected as volatiles from A. litigata.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mike Wolder and Mike Carpenter of the Sacramento NWR for permission to collect beetle specimen and volatiles, and Joy Futrell (USDA-ARS, EIW) for assistance with chromosome analyses of Ludwigia taxa. Research was conducted under USDA-ARS CRIS projects 5325-42000-036-00 and 5325-22000-024-00.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. USDA-ARS Plant Mycotoxin Research, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA, 94710, USA

    Wai S. Gee & John J. Beck

  2. USDA-ARS Exotic and Invasive Weeds Research, 800 Buchanan Street, Albany, CA, 94710, USA

    Raymond I. Carruthers & Marie K. Franc

  3. USDA-ARS Crop Bioprotection Research, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL, 61604, USA

    Allard A. Cossé

  4. Department of Plant Sciences, USDA-ARS Exotic and Invasive Weeds Research, Mail Stop 4, University of California, Davis 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Brenda J. Grewell

Authors
  1. Raymond I. Carruthers
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  2. Marie K. Franc
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  3. Wai S. Gee
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  4. Allard A. Cossé
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  5. Brenda J. Grewell
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  6. John J. Beck
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Correspondence to John J. Beck.

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Carruthers, R.I., Franc, M.K., Gee, W.S. et al. Volatile emissions from the flea beetle Altica litigata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) associated with invasive Ludwigia hexapetala . Chemoecology 21, 253–259 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-011-0090-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-011-0090-6

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