Differences in the sugar composition of the honeydew of polyphagous brown soft scale Coccus hesperidum (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea) feeding on various host plants
2011
Golan, K., University of Life Sciences, Lublin (Poland). Dept. of Entomology | Najda, A., University of Life Sciences, Lublin (Poland). Dept. of Vegetable and Medicinal Plants
Plant chemical composition is an important determinant of host plant-insect interactions. For many insects sugars are the main factors determining the acceptability of a plant. This study investigated changes in plant chemical composition and differences in sugar composition of different host plants (Citrus limon, Ficus benjamina, Nephrolepis biserrata) induced by the feeding of Coccus hesperidum. Three monosaccharide sugars (glucose, fructose and arabinose) and one disaccharide (sucrose) were present in plant extracts and honeydew. Arabinose was only found in extracts of F. benjamina plants. The sugar concentration of the honeydew was higher than that in the extracts of control plants and lower than that in the extracts of infested plants. The honeydew collected from C. hesperidum feeding on the three plant species differed significantly in sugar concentrations. Extracts of coccid infested plants of the three species used in this study contained more sugar than the uninfested control plants. The results show that honeydew composition of scale insects differ and the differences reflect the chemical composition of the host plants.
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