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Volatiles released from cotton plants in response to Helicoverpa zea feeding damage on cotton flower buds

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Abstract

Feeding of Helicoverpa zea larvae on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) flower buds (squares) for 24 or 48 h induced the release of a number of terpenes [(E)-β-ocimene, linalool, (E)-β-farnesene, (E,E)-α-farnesene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E,E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene], isomeric hexenyl butyrates, 2-methylbutyrates, indole and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. These compounds are not released in significant amounts from undamaged squares and freshly damaged squares. The release of inducible compounds was not limited to the damaged squares themselves. The compounds were also released systemically from the upper undamaged leaves of the same plant after 72 h. However, the composition of the blend of systemically released volatiles differed from the blend released by damaged squares. The compounds that were systemically released from undamaged leaves in response to feeding on the squares were (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (E)-β-ocimene, linalool, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E)-β-farnesene, (E,E)-α-farnesene, and indole. This study shows that insect damage inflicted to the reproductive parts of a plant causes a systemic emission of volatiles from its vegetative parts.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Ted Turlings (Institute of Zoology, University of Neuchatel, Switzerland), Jonathan Gershenzon and Ian Baldwin (MPI for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany) and Yasmin J. Cardoza (CSIRO Entomology, Wembley, Australia) for their helpful comments concerning the initial manuscript. We thank the Delta and Pine Land Company (Hollandala, MS, USA) for donation of the seeds.

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Author notes

  1. Ursula S. R. Röse

    Present address: Max-Planck Institut für Chemische Ökologie, Hans-Knöll-Str. 8, 07745, Jena, Germany

  2. James H. Tumlinson

    Present address: Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1700 SW 23rd Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA

    Ursula S. R. Röse & James H. Tumlinson

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  1. Ursula S. R. Röse
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Correspondence to Ursula S. R. Röse.

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Röse, U.S.R., Tumlinson, J.H. Volatiles released from cotton plants in response to Helicoverpa zea feeding damage on cotton flower buds. Planta 218, 824–832 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-003-1162-9

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