Orientation and feeding responses of the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus, to candytuft, Iberis amara

Bartlet, E., Blight, M., Pickett, J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8386-3770, Smart, L., Turner, G. and Woodcock, C. 2004. Orientation and feeding responses of the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus, to candytuft, Iberis amara. Journal of Chemical Ecology 30 (5) , pp. 913-925. 10.1023/B:JOEC.0000028458.66738.e1

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Abstract

The pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus, which is an important pest of oilseed rape, Brassica napus, and turnip rape, B. rapa var. campestris, does not oviposit in all species of the Brassicaceae. The relationship between M. aeneus and candytuft, Iberis amara (Brassicacae), was investigated as part of chemical ecological studies into the development of control methods employing non-host-derived repellents. In choice and nonchoice feeding tests, M. aeneus completely rejected I. amara. However, in a field experiment using traps baited with flowering racemes of I. amara and B. napus, M. aeneus was attracted to both species. Gas chromatographic (GC) and GC-electroantennogram (GC-EAG) analyses indicated that the profiles of the floral volatiles of the two species are different. At least 12 compounds among the I. amara floral volatiles were detected by the M. aeneus antenna, and, of these, hexanoic acid, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene and α-cedrene were not found among B. napus flower volatiles. Since M. aeneus is stimulated by floral volatiles to approach I. amara, but rejects it near, or at, the plant surface, I. amara does not produce repellents that could be used to manipulate M. aeneus. However, it may contain feeding deterrent(s) that could be used in “push–pull” control techniques or in the development of resistant brassicaceous crops.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Schools > Chemistry
Publisher:	Springer
ISSN:	0098-0331
Date of Acceptance:	14 January 2004
Last Modified:	25 Feb 2026 12:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185270

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