Higher plasticity in feeding preference of a generalist than a specialist: experiments with two closely related Helicoverpa species.

ABSTRACT: Herbivorous insects have been categorized as generalists or specialists depending on the taxonomic relatedness of the plants they use as food or oviposition substrates. The plasticity in host plant selection behavior of species belonging to the two categories received little attention. In the present work, fifth instar caterpillars of the generalist herbivore Helicoverpa armigera and its closely related species, the specialist Helicoverpa assulta, were fed on common host plants or artificial diet, after which their feeding preference was assessed individually by using dual - and triple- plant choice assays. Results show both the two Helicoverpa species have a preference hierarchy for host plants. Compared to the fixed preference hierarchy of the specialist H. assulta, the generalist H. arm

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5736596 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature