Role of avian trigeminal sensory system in detecting coniferyl benzoate, a plant allelochemical

Coniferyl benzoate, a secondary metabolite found in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and other plants, is an avian feeding deterrent of ecological and potential commercial importance. This study was conducted to determine if coniferyl benzoate is a trigeminal stimulant for birds and to ascertain if trigeminal chemoreception of coniferyl benzoate can mediate avian feeding behavior. Five European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) with bilateral nerve cuts (ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve) and four starlings that had sham surgeries were fed a commercial diet treated with coniferyl benzoate. Birds receiving bilateral nerve cuts ate significantly more feed than intact birds, indicating trigeminal detection of coniferyl benzoate and trigeminal mediation of feeding behavior. In the past, trigeminal chemoreception has not been recognized as important in the detection of plant secondary metabolites despite the irritant or astringent properties of a number of them.