The odor of a plant metabolite affects life history traits in dietary restricted adult olive flies.

ABSTRACT: Food quality shapes life history traits either directly or through response of individuals to additional environmental factors, such as chemical cues. Plant extracts used as food additives modulate key life history traits; however little is known regarding such effects for olfactory chemical cues. Exploiting an interesting experimental system that involves the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) and the plant metabolite α-pinene we asked whether exposure of adults to this compound modulates adult longevity and female reproduction in similar manner in a stressful - dietary (protein) restricted (DR) and in a relaxed- full diet (FD) feeding environment. Accordingly, we exposed males and females to the aroma of α-pinene and measured lifespan and age-specific fecundity in the above two dietary context

SUBMITTER: Gerofotis CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4919778 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature