Chemical Stimuli in Flowers and Leaves of Cotton that Affect Behaviour in the Cotton moth Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

The volatile fractions of flowers and leaves of cotton, Gossypium barbadense L., were highly attractive to both sexes of the moth Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduvalle 1883). Components of the flowers volatile fraction as identified by TLC and GLC techniques were citronellol, 2-phenyl ethanol, α-pinene, α-bisabolol, β-caryophyllene oxide, α-terpineol, camphene, copaene, borneol, isoborneol, l-pentanol, benzyl alcohol and (-).δ-cadenine. Not all of these components were attractive to the moth. The flowers' non volatile fractions contained active chemical stimuli that affected moth feeding. In this fraction, the active components were found to be hydrocarbons. The nectar in the floral and extrafloral nectaries was composed of sugars that were stimulating to the moth. In connection with this and using other available information, the feeding activity and oviposition of the moth has been discussed.