Crucifer flea beetle

Six male specific compounds were isolated from the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae, and the same compounds plus two additional compounds were isolated from males of Aphthona flava, A. czwalinae, and A. cyparissiae. Three of the compounds were identified as (-F)-i r-himachalene, (-F)- ra w-a-himachalene (-F)-y-cadinene. Two other compounds were identified as new enantiomers of himachalene hydrocarbons that were previously identified from the fir trees, Abies alba and Abies nordmanniana. Finally, there were two himachalene alcohols and one nonsesquiterpene ketone that is a himachalene analog that were identified. The chemical and electrophysiological patterns are consistent with, but do not prove, a pheromonal function. 

It has been discovered that the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae Goeze, a significant pest of oilseed Brassica and other cruciferous crops in North America and Europe, uses a hydrocarbon pheromone. The first published evidence for a pheromone in P. cruciferae was that canola plants infested by unsexed adults were more attractive to both males and females than damaged plants only, in both laboratory and field bioassays (Peng and Weiss, 1992). Subsequently, Peng et al. (1999) determined with field bioassays that the males were the attractive sex, fitting the pattern of a male-produced aggregation pheromone. 

Peng, C., Bartelt, R. J. and Weiss, M. J. (1999). Male crucifer flea beetles produce an aggregation pheromone. Physiol. Entomol., 24, 98-99. 

Some plant volatiles, however, are highly specific and composed of compounds not found in unrelated plant species.46 Allyl isothiocyanate, a specific odor component, is a breakdown product of glucosinolates in oilseed rape, B. napus. This compound attracts the crucifer flea beetle, Phyttotreta cruciferae, which is consistently found feeding in oilseed rape or canola fields.50... 

Many Insects have become specialists on crucifers and a few related plant families. These Include flea beetles, leaf beetles, cabbage root fly, aphids, cabbage butterflies and the dlamondback moth. At the same time, several polyphagous Insects such as the cabbage looper, armyworms and aphids are major pests of crucifers. Comparative studies on these specialists and generalists have provided valuable Information on host recognition and possible resistance mechanisms. 

Nielsen, J. K., Dalgaard, L., Larsen, L. M. and Sorensen, H. (1979) Host plant selection of the horse-radish flea beetle Phyllotreta amoraciae (Coleoptera Chrysomelidae) feeding responses to glucosinolates from several crucifers. Ent. exp. appl., 25,227-39. 

---