Lipid, polyamide, and flavonol phagostimulants for adult western corn rootworm from sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) pollen

J Agric Food Chem. 1999 Mar;47(3):1223-9. doi: 10.1021/jf980858w.

Abstract

Adult Diabroticites including western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, consume pollen of corn, squash, sunflower, and other species. Short-chain neutral amino acids in methanol-water extracts of pollen have been previously identified in our laboratory as strong phagostimulants for Diabrotica. Bioassay-driven fractionation was used to characterize the interacting lipid and midpolarity phagostimulants for adult WCR in Giant Gray Stripe sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., pollen. Lipids rich in omega3-linolenic acid including triglycerides, free fatty acids, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidic acids, and phosphatidylcholines were highly phagostimulatory. Other important phagostimulatory components included a hydroxycinnamic acid-polyamine amide, N(1),N(5),N(10)-tri[(E)-p-coumaroyl]spermidine, and a flavonol, quercetin beta-3-O-glucoside. The structural characteristics of these phagoactive compounds and their role in the pollinivory specialization of rootworm beetles are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Assay
  • Coleoptera*
  • Flavonoids / isolation & purification*
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Flavonols
  • Helianthus* / parasitology
  • Lipids / isolation & purification*
  • Lipids / pharmacology
  • Nylons / isolation & purification*
  • Nylons / pharmacology
  • Pollen / chemistry*
  • Vegetables / parasitology
  • Zea mays / parasitology*

Substances

  • Flavonoids
  • Flavonols
  • Lipids
  • Nylons