Induction of nicotine in tobacco by herbivory and its relation to glucose oxidase activity in the labial gland of three noctuid caterpillars

Tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L. is a host plant ofHelicoverpa armigera (Huibner), Helicoverpa assulta Guenee and Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). The difference in leaf nicotine response to the feeding by these three larvae and the mechanical simulation of their feeding was examined by HPLC. Results indicated that nicotine induction was suppressed by H. armigera and H. assulta larvae feeding or by simulated damage treated with their labial glands extracts. The production of nicotine was also suppressed by the glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger when it was treated on mechanically wounded leaf area. On the contrary, the nicotine production was stimulated by S. litura larva feeding or by simulated damage treated with its labial gland extract. Heat denature can not counteract the stimulation effect of the S. litura labial gland extracts to tobacco nicotine production. The glucose oxidase activity was detected in labial gland extracts of both H. armigera and H. assulta, but the activity in H. armigera was significantly higher than that in H. assulta. No glucose oxidase activity was detected in labial gland extracts of S. litura. It is shown that the glucose oxidase activity in labial glands of caterpillars plays an important role in the nicotine response to herbivory. The glucose oxidase was mainly contained in the labial gland of H. armigera larva, and had the highest activity at pH 7.0. D-Glucose was the optimal substrate of the glucose oxidase. Labial gland glucose oxidase activities varied daily during larval development with high activities found when larvae were actively feeding.     

Interpretation of the biological species concept from interspecific hybridization of two Helicoverpa species

The biological species concept defines species in terms of interbreeding. Interbreeding between spe-cies is prevented by reproductive isolation mechanisms. Based on our results of interspecific hybridi-zation between Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa assulta, reproductive isolation mechanisms of the two species are analyzed. A combination of prezygotic factors (absent sex attraction and physical incompatibility of the genitalia) and postzygotic factors (female absence and partial sterility in F1 hy-brids) causes reproductive isolation of the two species. In addition, the role of interspecific hybridiza-tion in speciation is discussed.     

Host selection of Helicoverpa armigera and H. assulta and its inheritance

The difference in host selection between the polyphagous Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and the oligophagous H. assulta Quenée was examined, with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) (hosts of H. armigera), tobacco (Nicotiana tobaccum) (host of both H. armigera and H. assulta), and bush redpepper (Capsicum frutescens) (host of H. assulta) as testing plants. A multiple-choice test was used with caged plant cuttings for adult oviposition and with leaf discs for larval feeding. A no-choice test was run for evaluating larval growth rate. The results indicated that the relationship between larval performance and adult preference of H. assulta was more conspicuous than that of H. armigera. Reciprocal hybridization between H. armigera and H. assulta followed by backcrossing of the hybrids (F1) with H. armigera was also carried out for genetic study on host selection of these two insect species. A two-choice test with cotton and bush redpepper leaf discs showed that H. armigera larvae preferred to feed on cotton, and H. assulta larvae to bush redpepper; feeding preferences of the two F1 lines were intermediate between those of their parents, but close to that of their female parent; preference indexes of backcross lines also showed that both maternal factor and chromosomal inheritance were involved in feeding selection of two Helicoverpa species.     

Interspecific hybridization ofHelicoverpa armigera andH. assulta (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Reciprocal hybridization between Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and H. assulta Guenee followed by backcrossing of the hybrids (F₁) with H. armigera produced backcross (BC) lines consisting of fertile females and males. The F₁ of H. armigera female and H. assulta male had only male, no female sex. In this case Haldane’s rule applies, and therefore it is proved that the sex chromosomes of Helicoverpa species are of ZW type, and the female is the heterozygous sex. This hybrid also showed significant heterosis with the heaviest pupal weight, and when it was backcrossed with H. armigera female, the sex ratio of the BC offspring was distorted as 1∶4. The potential utilization of this hybrid in genetic controlling H. armigera was finally discussed.