Ubiquitous water-soluble molecules in aquatic plant exudates determine specific insect attraction.

ABSTRACT: Plants produce semio-chemicals that directly influence insect attraction and/or repulsion. Generally, this attraction is closely associated with herbivory and has been studied mainly under atmospheric conditions. On the other hand, the relationship between aquatic plants and insects has been little studied. To determine whether the roots of aquatic macrophytes release attractive chemical mixtures into the water, we studied the behaviour of mosquito larvae using olfactory experiments with root exudates. After testing the attraction on Culex and Aedes mosquito larvae, we chose to work with Coquillettidia species, which have a complex behaviour in nature and need to be attached to plant roots in order to obtain oxygen. This relationship is non-destructive and can be described as commensal beh

SUBMITTER: Serandour J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2556394 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature