Esterase of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.). 2. The antennal carboxylesterase of adult male with reference on male response to synthetic female sex pheromone

Esterase of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.). 2. The antennal carboxylesterase of adult male with reference on male response to synthetic female sex pheromone

1985

A:PS

Natural populations of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L., collected from different vegetable fields were investigated. The response of male adults to the female pheromone was revealed by a Y-test apparatus in laboratory. The antennal esterase activity of the moth was monitored by either 1-naphthylacetate or C14 (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate. In addition, the zymogram of antennal esterase was also studied by poly-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. We found that variations of pheromone respnse of the adult male to trinary of (Z)-11-hexadecenal, (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate and (Z)-11-hexadecen-1-ol, was either age-dependent or population-dependent. Although, the population-dependent variation of male phermone-response is statistically insignificant. Age-dependent variation of antennal esterase activity was positively correlated with the behavior of the male moth. Zymogram of antennal esterases also varied in their appearance. Certain bands of the esterase isozyme seems to be associated with the response of male adults to the pheromone. However, from the data on hand it is difficult to draw a clear cut between the pheromone-response of the male moth, the enzymatic hydrolysis of antennal esterases to the acetate pheromone and NA, and zymogram pattern of the esterases. No evidence currently to show that the variation of esterases were interrelated with the malathion resistance of the insects from different populations investigated. [AS]

v.24(2):165-176, INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY, ACADEMIA SINICA, BULLETIN

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