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Martina C, Krenn L, Krupicka L, Yamada H, Hood-Nowotny R, Lahuatte PF, Yar J, Schwemhofer T, Fischer B, Causton CE, Tebbich S. Evaluating Volatile Plant Compounds of Psidium galapageium (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) as Repellents Against Invasive Parasitic Diptera in the Galapagos Islands. J Med Entomol 2022; 59:89-98. [PMID: 34761264 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plant-based repellents represent a safe, economic, and viable alternative to managing invasive insects that threaten native fauna. Observations of self-medication in animals can provide important cues to the medicinal properties of plants. A recent study in the Galapagos Islands found that Darwin's finches apply the leaves of Psidium galapageium (Hooker 1847) to their feathers, extracts of which were repellent to mosquitoes and the parasitic fly Philornis downsi (Dodge & Aitkens 1968; Diptera: Muscidae). Introduced mosquitoes are suspected vectors of avian pathogens in the Galapagos Islands, whereas the larvae of P. downsi are blood-feeders, causing significant declines of the endemic avifauna. In this study, we investigated the volatile compounds found in P. galapageium, testing each against a model organism, the mosquito Anopheles arabiensis (Patton 1905; Diptera: Culicidae), with the aim of singling out the most effective compound for repelling dipterans. Examinations of an ethanolic extract of P. galapageium, its essential oil and each of their respective fractions, revealed a mixture of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, the latter consisting mainly of guaiol, trans-nerolidol, and β-eudesmol. Of these, trans-nerolidol was identified as the most effective repellent to mosquitoes. This was subsequently tested at four different concentrations against P. downsi, but we did not find a repellence response. A tendency to avoid the compound was observed, albeit significance was not achieved in any case. The lack of repellence suggests that flies may respond to a combination of the volatile compounds found in P. galapageium, rather than to a single compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Martina
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Insect Pest Control Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, 1400, Vienna, Austria
| | - L Krenn
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - L Krupicka
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - H Yamada
- Insect Pest Control Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, 1400, Vienna, Austria
| | - R Hood-Nowotny
- Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - P F Lahuatte
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - J Yar
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - T Schwemhofer
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - B Fischer
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Unit for Theoretical Biology, University of Vienna, A-1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - C E Causton
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - S Tebbich
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Kodym A, Senula A, Temsch EM, Hood-Nowotny R, Schumacher F, Sekurova ON, Zotchev SB, Kiehn M. Micropropagation and Cryoconservation of the Endangered Plant Species Artemisia laciniata (Asteraceae). Cryo Letters 2018; 39:177-189. [PMID: 30059564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED BACKGROUND: Artemisia laciniata, mainly distributed in Siberia and Central Asia, is classified as critically endangered in Europe. OBJECTIVES This study developed a protocol for its micropropagation and cryopreservation. MATERIALS AND METHODS In vitro cultures from fresh seed and in vivo shoots were initiated. Micropropagation and cryopreservation protocols were developed. Bacteria detected after cryopreservation were investigated using 16S rRNA analysis. Genome size measurements of regenerated plants after cryopreservation using flow cytometry and carbon isotope measurements to evaluate stress status were also carried out. RESULTS A. laciniata from both starting materials could be successfully propagated on MS medium with 0.5 uM BAP. Material initiated from in vivo shoots yielded lower regeneration percentages (16%) after cryopreservation than material generated from seed (57 and 63%) using the droplet-vitrification method and PVS3. Bacteria occurring after cryopreservation belonged to the genera Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus, Curtobacterium and Gordonia. There was no significant difference in the genome size and stress status between non-cryopreserved and cryopreserved plants. CONCLUSION A. laciniata could be readily micropropagated and cryopreserved. No negative effects of cryopreservation on plant water use efficiency or on genetic stability were found.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Kodym
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria. Core Facility Botanical Garden, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - A Senula
- Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), 06466 Seeland OT Gatersleben, Germany
| | - E M Temsch
- Dept. of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - R Hood-Nowotny
- Energy Department, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| | - F Schumacher
- Core Facility Botanical Garden, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - O N Sekurova
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - S B Zotchev
- Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - M Kiehn
- Core Facility Botanical Garden, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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