Binary mixtures of feeding deterrents mitigate the decrease in feeding deterrent response to antifeedants following prolonged exposure in the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effect of rearing larvae of Trichoplusia ni on individual feeding deterrents or on binary mixtures of deterrents on their subsequent gustatory sensitivity was measured in paired choice leaf disc bioassays. Our working hypothesis was that mixtures of antifeedants (pure allelochemicals) would mitigate decreased feeding deterrent response following prolonged exposure in this generalist herbivore. Neonate larvae were reared on cabbage leaves treated with individual feeding deterrents (digitoxin, thymol, toosendanin or xanthotoxin), or with binary mixtures of these until the third instar. Feeding deterrent responses to each antifeedant or mixture was then determined in a leaf disc choice bioassay. All of the mixtures produced additive deterrence when presented to naive larvae. Larvae reared on individual antifeedants showed a significantly decreased feeding deterrent response (except to digitoxin), whereas larvae reared on binary mixtures of antifeedants did not show a decreased feeding deterrent response to any of them. Such mixtures were synergistic in terms of their feeding deterrence to experienced larvae. Our experiment supports the hypothesis (Jermy 1986) that mixtures of deterrents can prevent decreased feeding deterrent response following prolonged exposure, and provides one explanation for the multiplicity of chemical defenses found in many plants.