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Preliminary chemical analyses of the repellent secretion of the African variegated grasshopper Zonocerus variegatus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

A. B. Idowu  and
W. W. D. Modder
A. B. Idowu
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria
W. W. D. Modder
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Abstract

The chemical nature of the repellent secretion of the African grasshopper, Zonocerus variegatus (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) reared on Acalypha wilkesiana L. and Manihot esculenta (Crantz) was analysed. It was found to contain alkaloids, glucose, proteins, free amino acids, trypsin-like proteinase, carbohydrases, lipase and the ions Ca2+, Mg2+ and K+ but not Na+ and (PO4)2-. Alkaloids were present in the secretion whether or not the insect was fed on plants containing alkaloids. Cyanide ions were absent in the secretion, even when Z. variegatus was fed exclusively on the cyanogenic Manihot esculenta. The amino acid and glucose contents were the same in grasshoppers reared on different plants. The protein content in the repellent secretion was constant, despite the fluctuations observed in the protein content of the haemolymph.

Résumé

La sécrétion repulsive du criquet puant Zonocerus variegatus (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) élevé sur Acalypha wilkesiana L. et Manihot esculenta (Crantz) a été analysée pour en déterminer la nature chimique. On a trouvé que cette sécrétion contient des alcaloïdes, du glucose, des protéines, des acides aminés libres, une protease proche de la trypsine, des carbonohydrases, de la lipase ainsi que des ions Ca2+, Mg2+ et K+}; mais pas d'ions N+ et (PO4)2-. Les alcaloïdes étaient présents indépendamment que le criquet était nourri sur des plantes avec ou sans alcaloïdes. La sécrétion ne contenait pas d'ions de cyanide, quand bien même Z. variegatus était exclusivement nourri sur M. esculenta qui est une plante cyanogène. Les acides aminés et le glucose sont restés les mêmes chez les criquets élevés sur des plantes différentes. Dans la sécrétion répulsive, les protéines étaient constantes malgré leurs fluctuations quantitatives enregistrées dans l'hémolymphe.

Keywords

Zonocerus variegatusAfrican grasshopperrepellent secretionchemical constituentsconstituants chimiquescriquet africainsécrétion répulsiveZonocerus variegatus
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 18 , Issue 2 , June 1998 , pp. 129 - 137
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1998

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