Effects of poplar secondary metabolites on performance and detoxification enzyme activity of Lymantria dispar

To identify the effects of poplar secondary metabolites on Lymantria dispar , six poplar secondary metabolites (i.e., caffeic acid , salicin , rutin , quercetin , flavone , and catechol) and three mixtures containing characteristic secondary metabolites in poplar were selected. Mixture 1 contained flavone and salicin, mixture 2 contained salicin, caffeic acid, and catechol , and mixture 3 contained flavone, catechol, and caffeic acid. Mixtures were added to artificial diets used to feed 2nd instar L. dispar larvae. The effects of different secondary metabolites on larval growth and development , antifeedant activity, nutrient utilization, and detoxifying enzymatic activity were investigated. Results revealed that there were different influences on L. dispar larvae. The maximum antifeedant rate of flavone was 87.58%. Larvae treated with mixture 2 had a significantly longer development time of 5.61 d with a survival rate of 38.75% for 15 d, which is lower than a single secondary metabolite. No L. dispar larvae survived on feeding diets containing flavone for 7 d. An increase in GST and P450 activities in larvae was significantly induced during the 72 h feeding on artificial diets containing experimental secondary metabolites. After treatment containing salicin and flavone for 24–72 h, P450 activity increased at first then decreased. These results provide a foundation for further investigation on the host selection and underlying adaptation mechanisms in L. dispar .