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Innate and Learned Prey-Searching Behavior in a Generalist Predator
Agnès Ardanuy1, Ramon Albajes2, Ted C J Turlings3
1Departament de Producció i Protecció Vegetal, Agrotecnio Center, Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure 191, E-25198, Lleida, Spain. agnes.ardanuy@gmail.com.
Journal of Chemical Ecology
|June 26, 2016
Summary
Early leafhopper colonization attracts predatory insects like Orius spp. to maize fields. These predators learn to identify prey through plant volatiles, influencing their habitat selection.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Entomology
- Chemical Ecology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Generalist predators, such as Orius spp., are crucial for biological control in maize fields.
- Early season colonization by specific herbivores, like Zyginidia scutellaris leafhoppers, may influence predator presence.
- Understanding predator attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles is key to integrated pest management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if Orius spp. are specifically attracted to maize volatiles induced by Z. scutellaris.
- To investigate how previous experience with herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) affects Orius predator responses.
- To analyze volatile profiles of maize plants infested by different herbivore feeding guilds.
Main Methods:
- Assessed innate and learned preferences of Orius majusculus to volatiles from maize plants infested with Z. scutellaris, Spodoptera littoralis, or Dalbulus maidis.
- Analyzed volatile organic compounds emitted by maize plants under different herbivore infestations.
- Compared predator responses based on previous exposure to HIPVs and prey suitability.
Main Results:
- Orius predators showed strong innate attraction to volatiles from maize infested with Z. scutellaris or S. littoralis.
- Predation experience significantly altered Orius's olfactory preferences, with learning enhancing attraction to specific HIPVs.
- Distinct volatile profiles, including (Z)-3-hexenal, (E)-2-hexenal, and methyl salicylate, were identified and correlated with herbivore feeding strategies.
Conclusions:
- Z. scutellaris-induced maize volatiles play a significant role in recruiting Orius spp. to maize agroecosystems.
- Predator learning and previous experience with HIPVs are critical factors modulating olfactory-driven host-finding behavior.
- Specific HIPVs can serve as reliable cues for prey detection and identification by generalist predators.
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