Increased EAG responses of tortricid moths after prolonged exposure to plant volatiles: evidence for octopamine-mediated sensitization

As measured by electroantennograms (EAG), both male and female obliquebanded leafrollers, Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris), and redbanded leafrollers, Argyrotaenia velutinana (Walker), were similarly sensitive to host-related plant volatiles: trans-2-hexenal, benzaldehyde, 1-hexenol, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, geraniol, linalool, (+)-limonene, hexenal and trans-2-hexenol. Females of both species were similarly sensitive to the shared major component of their sex-attractant pheromone ((Z)11-14:Ac). Continuous 60 min pre-exposure of male and female C. rosaceana and A. velutinana to successively higher concentrations of a mixture of the nine plant volatiles in Teflon chambers with continuous air exchange caused a dosage-dependent increase in subsequent responsiveness (sensitization) to green leaf volatiles, as measured by EAGs. In addition, 60 min of pre-exposure of male C. rosaceana to certain individual volatiles ((+)-limonene, geraniol, benzaldehyde) increased EAGs nearly as much as did the mixture of nine volatiles. Pre-exposures to the nine plant-volatile mixture at concentrations achieved by 100 μg and 1 mg loading dosages in 100 μl of mineral oil significantly increased EAG depolarization to pheromone (cross-sensitization) in males but not females of both moth species. Antennae of male C. rosaceana pre-injected with 100 μg of octopamine (OA) without volatile pre-exposure exhibited sensitization nearly identical to that induced by pre-exposing moths to sensitizing concentrations of the plant-volatile mixture. Moreover, injection of the OA antagonist chlorpromazine (CP) blocked sensitization by the plant-volatile pre-exposure. Collectively, these findings suggest that exposures of tortricid moths to certain host-plant related volatiles may modulate subsequent olfactory sensitivity to behaviorally relevant chemical cues and that plant-volatile induced sensitization may be octopamine mediated.