Olfactory Response of Mahanarva spectabilis (Distant, 1909) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) to Volatile Aqueous Extracts of Plant Origin Applied to Elephant Grass Plants (Pennisetum purpureum Schum)

• Published in: Agronomy (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 5; p. 856
• Main Authors: Nascimento, Vinícius Ferraz, Auad, Alexander Machado, de Resende, Tiago Teixeira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 2021
• Subjects: Adults; agroecology; Allium sativum; Bioassays; Cinnamomum verum; Cinnamon; Cymbopogon citratus; Dairy cattle; Elephant grass; Entomology; Eucalyptus; Eucalyptus globulus; Garlic; Grasses; Host plants; Illicium verum; Insecticides; Insects; Laboratories; Leaves; Mahanarva spectabilis; Nicotiana tabacum; Pennisetum purpureum; Plant extracts; repellency; Ruta graveolens; spittlebugs; Syzygium aromaticum; Thymus vulgaris; Tobacco; volatile organic compounds; Brazil
• ISSN: 2073-4395; 2073-4395
• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy11050856

In this study, we evaluate the olfactory responses of Mahanarva spectabilis adults to aqueous extracts from the following non-host plants for the pest insect: garlic (Allium sativum L.), rue (Ruta graveolens L.), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum J. Presl), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.), clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.), star anise (Illicium verum Hook.f), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) applied to the host plant, elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum.). The bioassays were performed using a Y olfactometer, and the combinations of the plant extracts applied to the host plant were tested against fresh air and against the host plant without the extract. The results show that the extracts of tobacco and star anise were non-attractive to M. spectabilis adults. The extracts from the remaining plants did not alter the response of M. spectabilis to the host plant.