Activity of Maize Leaf Cuticular Lipids in Resistance to Leaf-Feeding by the Fall Armyworm

• Published in: The Florida entomologist 1991-06, Vol.74 (2), p.229-236
• Main Authors: Yang, Guang, Isenhour, David J., Espelie, Karl E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Armyworms; Corn; Diet; Fall Armyworm Symposium '90; Genotypes; Insect behavior; Insect larvae; Larval development; Leaves; Lipids; Solvents; Spodoptera frugiperda
• ISSN: 0015-4040; 1938-5102
• DOI: 10.2307/3495301

Genotypes of maize, Zea mays L., known to vary in their resistance to fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), were utilized in a study designed to examine the role that cuticular lipids play in host plant resistance. The surface lipids were extracted from green and yellow whorl foliage of maize genotypes 'MpSWCB-4', 'Cacahuacintle X's', 'Pioneer 3192' and 'Pioneer X304C'. FAW larvae were reared on meridic diet to which either the extracted foliage or unextracted foliage had been added. FAW growth was monitored and shown to be enhanced when larvae were reared on diet containing foliage from which the cuticular lipids had been removed. Additionally, FAW growth was inhibited when larvae were fed meridic diet containing cuticular lipid extracts from foliage of the four maize genotypes. /// En un estudio designado a examinar el papel de los tejidos cuticulares en la resistencia de plantas, se examinaron varios genotipos del maíz, Zea mays L., conocidos por su variablidad en su resistencia al cogollero Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Los lipidos superficiales fueron extraidos de follaje verede y amarillo de los genotipos "MpSWCB-4," Cacahuacintle X's', "Pioneer 3192" y "Pioneer X304C." Larvas de FAW fueron criadas en dietas meridicas a las cuales se les habia añadido o suprimido extractos de follaje. Se observo el crecimiento de FAW, y se demostró que acrecentó cuando la larva fue criada en dieta con follaje al cual se le substrayeron los lipidos cuticulares. Adicionalmente, el crecimiento de FAW fue inhibido cuando la larva fue alimentada con una dieta que contenía extractos de lipidos cuticulares provemientes el follaje de 4 genotipos de maíz.