Functional types of long trichoid sensilla responding to sex pheromone components in Plutella xylostella

• Published in: Insect science Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 1503 - 1518
• Main Authors: Li, Xiao‐Fei, Qie, Xing‐Tao, Mo, Bao‐Tong, Wang, Cai‐Feng, Xing, Zeng‐Hua, Zhao, Jin‐Yu, Wang, Chen‐Zhu, Hao, Chi, Ma, Li, Yan, Xi‐Zhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Adults; Antennae; Chromatography; Cluster analysis; Clustering; Cockroaches; Electroantennograms; electrophysiological responses; Females; Gas chromatography; Insects; long trichoid sensilla; Males; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Mating behavior; Olfactory system; Pheromone gland; Pheromones; Plutella xylostella; Secretions; Sensilla; Sex; Sex pheromone; single sensillum recording; Plutella xylostella; single sensillum recording; sex pheromone; electrophysiological responses; long trichoid sensilla
• ISSN: 1672-9609; 1744-7917; 1744-7917
• DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13367

Sex pheromones, which consist of multiple components in specific ratios promote intraspecific sexual communications of insects. Plutella xylostella (L.) is a worldwide pest of cruciferous vegetables, the mating behavior of which is highly dependent on its olfactory system. Long trichoid sensilla on male antennae are the main olfactory sensilla that can sense sex pheromones. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, 3 sex pheromone components from sex pheromone gland secretions of P. xylostella female adults were identified as Z11‐16:Ald, Z11‐16:Ac, and Z11‐16:OH in a ratio of 9.4 : 100 : 17 using gas chromatography – mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with electroantennographic detection. Electrophysiological responses of 581 and 385 long trichoid sensilla of male adults and female adults, respectively, to the 3 components were measured by single sensillum recording. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that the long trichoid sensilla were of 6 different types. In the male antennae, 52.32%, 5.51%, and 1.89% of the sensilla responded to Z11‐16:Ald, Z11‐16:Ac, and Z11‐16:OH, which are named as A type, B type, and C type sensilla, respectively; 2.93% named as D type sensilla responded to both Z11‐16:Ald and Z11‐16:Ac, and 0.34% named as E type sensilla were sensitive to both Z11‐16:Ald and Z11‐16:OH. In the female antennae, only 7.53% of long trichoid sensilla responded to the sex pheromone components, A type sensilla were 3.64%, B type and C type sensilla were both 0.52%, D type sensilla were 1.30%, and 1.56% of the sensilla responded to all 3 components, which were named as F type sensilla. The responding long trichoid sensilla were located from the base to the terminal of the male antennae and from the base to the middle of the female antennae. The pheromone mixture (Z11‐16:Ald : Z11‐16:Ac : Z11‐16:OH = 9.4 : 100 : 17) had a weakly repellent effect on female adults of P. xylostella. Our results lay the foundation for further studies on sex pheromone communications in P. xylostella. The sex pheromones, as the components of Z11‐16:Ald, Z11‐16:Ac, and Z11‐16:OH in a ratio of 9.4: 100: 17, are released by female adults of Plutella xylostella. Long trichoid sensilla on male antennae are the main olfactory sensilla that can sense sex pheromones. In the male antennae, 52.32%, 5.51%, and 1.89% of the sensilla responded to Z11‐16:Ald, Z11‐16:Ac, and Z11‐16:OH, which are named as A type, B type, and C type sensilla, respectively; 2.93% named as D type sensilla responded to both Z11‐16:Ald and Z11‐16:Ac, and 0.34% named as E type sensilla were sensitive to both Z11‐16:Ald and Z11‐16:OH. Interestingly, in the female antennae, only 7.53% of long trichoid sensilla responded to the sex pheromone components, A type sensilla were 3.64%, B type and C type sensilla were both 0.52%, D type sensilla were 1.30%, and 1.56% of the sensilla responded to all 3 components, which were named as F type sensilla. The pheromone mixture (Z11‐16:Ald: Z11‐16:Ac: Z11‐16:OH = 9.4: 100: 17) had a strong attraction on male adults and had a weakly repellent effect on female adults of P. xylostella.