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First published online November 24, 2003
Journal of Experimental Biology 207, 47-53 (2004)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2004
doi: 10.1242/jeb.00732
Insect oviposition induces volatile emission in herbaceous plants that attracts egg parasitoids
1 Department of S.En.Fi.Mi.Zo. - Entomology Acarology and Zoology,
University of Palermo, Italy
2 Department of Arboriculture and Plant Protection - Entomology, University
of Perugia, Italy
* Author for correspondence (e-mail: colazza{at}unipa.it)
Accepted 30 September 2003
The egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis (Wollaston) (Hymenoptera:
Scelionidae) responded to synomones emitted by leguminous plants induced by
feeding and oviposition activity of the bug Nezara viridula (L.)
(Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). This was shown by laboratory bioassays using a
Y-tube olfactometer. Broad bean leaves (Vicia faba L.) damaged by
feeding activity of N. viridula and on which host egg mass had been
laid produced synomones that attracted T. basalis. By contrast,
undamaged leaves or feeding-damaged leaves without eggs did not attract wasp
females. French bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) also emitted
attractive synomones when they were damaged by host feeding and carrying egg
masses. Thus, release of feeding- and oviposition-induced synomones does not
seem to be plant-specific. Synomone production was shown to be a systemically
induced plant physiological response to feeding damage and oviposition. Also,
parts of the plant that were left undamaged and did not carry host eggs
emitted attractive synomones when other parts of the plant were damaged by
feeding and carrying eggs. Furthermore, wasps were not attracted by N.
viridula egg masses offered alone or combined with damaged broad bean
leaves. Thus, the attractiveness of feeding-damaged leaves carrying eggs is
due to induction by feeding and oviposition rather than due to a combined
effect of attractive volatiles released from eggs and damaged leaves. The
production of synomones was influenced by the age of the host egg mass,
because feeding-damaged leaves bearing egg masses attracted the parasitoid
until the eggs were 
72-96 h old but not once the larvae had hatched from
the eggs (120 h old). These results show that annual plants are able to
produce synomones as a consequence of feeding and egg mass oviposition by a
sucking insect.
Key words: Insecta, Nezara viridula, Heteroptera, Pentatomidae, Trissolcus basalis, Scelionidae, systemic induction, oviposition, insect/plant interaction, chemical ecology
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