Antennal detection of host plant volatiles as a function of sex and physiological state in the cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala
Abstract
Background: Due to different requirements, olfactory guided behavior can vary between insect sexes and as a function of the physiological state. These variations result in an evolutionary strategy driven by selective pressure, to enhance insect sensitivity to specific resources according to their sex and physiological state. Compared to males, females may be highly sensitive to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from host plants for foraging or oviposition. In addition, age and mating status also influence insect sensitivity to certain VOCs depending on related specific needs. Modulation of olfactory sensitivity can occur at the peripheral and central levels and often results in behavioral plasticity. The cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) is a serious pest of winter oilseed rape crops (WOSR, Brassica napus) and the time of crop colonization coincides with shifts in CSFB sex ratio and physiology. This study investigated the peripheral responses to several VOCs emitted by Brassicaceae as a function of the physiological status (pre- or post-estivation and sexually immature or mature) of both male and female CSFB using electroantennographic (EAG) recordings. The vapor phase concentration of the Pasteur pipette headspace was considered to investigate the sensitivity of the CSFB antenna to different VOCs. VOCs for EAG recordings were selected based on a literature review of the VOCs emitted by several host plants of the CSFB.Results: All tested VOCs were detected by the CSFB antenna in a dose-dependent manner, independently of the sex and the physiological status. The volatility of a few VOCs was then considered to compare sensitivity between VOCs and showed a specifically high sensitivity of the CSFB antenna for 3-carene.Conclusion: Even though no differences in peripheral detection of VOCs depending on the physiological state or the sex were found in this study, differences in the sensitivity to different VOCs were revealed, opening new perspectives to decipher their effect on CSFB behavior and their ecological implications. Behavioral responses of the CSFB to the tested VOCs need now to be tested to assess behavioral plasticity.
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BibTeX
@article{tixeront2026antennal,
title = {{Antennal detection of host plant volatiles as a function of sex and physiological state in the cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala}},
author = {Margot Tixeront and Fabienne Dupuy and Anne Marie Cortesero and Maxime Hervé and Sylvia Anton},
journal = {Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fevo.2026.1799538},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05650328v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Antennal detection of host plant volatiles as a function of sex and physiological state in the cabbage stem flea beetle, Psylliodes chrysocephala
AU - Margot Tixeront
AU - Fabienne Dupuy
AU - Anne Marie Cortesero
AU - Maxime Hervé
AU - Sylvia Anton
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/13
JO - Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
DO - 10.3389/fevo.2026.1799538
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05650328v1
AB - Background: Due to different requirements, olfactory guided behavior can vary between insect sexes and as a function of the physiological state. These variations result in an evolutionary strategy driven by selective pressure, to enhance insect sensitivity to specific resources according to their sex and physiological state. Compared to males, females may be highly sensitive to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from host plants for foraging or oviposition. In addition, age and mating status also influence insect sensitivity to certain VOCs depending on related specific needs. Modulation of olfactory sensitivity can occur at the peripheral and central levels and often results in behavioral plasticity. The cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) is a serious pest of winter oilseed rape crops (WOSR, Brassica napus) and the time of crop colonization coincides with shifts in CSFB sex ratio and physiology. This study investigated the peripheral responses to several VOCs emitted by Brassicaceae as a function of the physiological status (pre- or post-estivation and sexually immature or mature) of both male and female CSFB using electroantennographic (EAG) recordings. The vapor phase concentration of the Pasteur pipette headspace was considered to investigate the sensitivity of the CSFB antenna to different VOCs. VOCs for EAG recordings were selected based on a literature review of the VOCs emitted by several host plants of the CSFB.Results: All tested VOCs were detected by the CSFB antenna in a dose-dependent manner, independently of the sex and the physiological status. The volatility of a few VOCs was then considered to compare sensitivity between VOCs and showed a specifically high sensitivity of the CSFB antenna for 3-carene.Conclusion: Even though no differences in peripheral detection of VOCs depending on the physiological state or the sex were found in this study, differences in the sensitivity to different VOCs were revealed, opening new perspectives to decipher their effect on CSFB behavior and their ecological implications. Behavioral responses of the CSFB to the tested VOCs need now to be tested to assess behavioral plasticity.
SN - 2296-701X
ER -