Chemical and experiential basis for rejection ofTropaeolum majus byPieris rapae larvae

Abstract

Rejection of nasturtium,Tropaeolum majus, by cabbage-reared larvae ofPieris rapae has been explained by the presence of feeding deterrents in the nastrutium foliage. Sensitivity to the deterrents develops as neonate larvae feed on cabbage. The most prominent deterrent compound, which is present in nasturtium at a concentration of 40 mg/100 g fresh leaves, was identified as chlorogenic acid. When neonate larvae were fed on a cabbage leaf treated with high concentrations of deterrent-containing extracts of nasturtium foliage, they remained insensitive to the deterrents, so they accepted nasturtium when transferred as second instars. When neonate larvae were reared on a cabbage leaf treated with 0.1 mg chlorogenic acid, ca. 35% of the second instars accepted nasturtium. Similar dietary exposure of neonates to the subunits of chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and quinic, acid resulted in much less or no effect on the rejection behavior of second instars. The results suggest that the combined effects of specific chemical constituents of nasturtium can explain the rejection of this plant by larvae ofP. rapae, but if larvae are continuously exposed to these compounds immediately after hatching, they apparently become habituated to the feeding deterrents. The lack of activity of the subunits of chlorogenic acid suggests that specific structural features are necessary for a dietary constituent to cause such habituation or suppression of sensitivity development.