Phytochemical and Biological Study of Trophic Interaction between Pseudosphinx Tetrio L. Larvae and Allamanda Cathartica L

Linda Matignon; Mame Marietou Lo; Magneric Monpierre; Mauro Vicentini Correia; Drochss Pettry Valencia; Marcos V Palmeira-Mello; Marie-Noëlle Sylvestre; Ludovic Pruneau; Muriel Sylvestre; Antonio Domenech; Zohra Benfodda; Patrick Meffre; Gerardo Cebrián-Torrejón

doi:10.3390/plants12030520

Phytochemical and Biological Study of Trophic Interaction between Pseudosphinx Tetrio L. Larvae and Allamanda Cathartica L

Plants (Basel). 2023 Jan 23;12(3):520. doi: 10.3390/plants12030520.

Affiliations

¹ COVACHIM-M2E Laboratory EA 3592, Department of Chemistry, Fouillole Campus, University of the French West Indies, UFR SEN, CEDEX, 97157 Pointe-à-Pitre, France.
² CHROME Laboratory, EA7352, University of Nîmes, CEDEX 1, 30021 Nîmes, France.
³ Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Department of Chemistry, Fouillole Campus, University of the French West Indies, UFR SEN, CEDEX, 97157 Pointe-à-Pitre, France.
⁴ Instituto de Química, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil.
⁵ Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana sede Cali, Calle 18 No. 118-250, Cali 760031, Colombia.
⁶ Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro S. João Batista S/N, Niterói 24020-141, Brazil.
⁷ Departament de Química Analítica, Facultat de Química, Universitat de València, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Valencia, Spain.

Abstract

In this article, we propose to explore the chemical interaction between Pseudosphinx tetrio L. and Allamanda cathartica L. using different analytical methods, including an innovative electrochemical approach (called electrochemical ecology) and multivariate analysis, and we investigate the potential antimicrobial effects (antibacterial and antifungal activities) of this interaction in order to gain a better understanding of their specific interaction. The analytical study presents a similar chemical profile between the leaves of healthy and herbivorous A. cathartica and the excretions of the caterpillars. The similar analytical profile of the leaves of A. cathartica and the excretions of P. tetrio, and the difference with the caterpillar bodies, suggests a selective excretion of compounds by the caterpillar. The measured antimicrobial activities support the physicochemical tests. The natural products found selectively in the excretions (rather than in the body) could explain the ability of P. tetrio to feed on this toxic Apocynaceae species.

Keywords: Allamanda cathartica; Pseudosphinx tetrio; allelopathy; aposematism; chemical ecology; electrochemical ecology; phytochemical analysis; plant–insect interactions.

Grants and funding

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the “AgroEcoDiv” project from the European Union Fund (FEDER) and “Région Guadeloupe”. We would also like the Caribaea Initiative association for a two month study grant from Matignon. DPV would like to thank the OMICAS program: Optimización Multiescala In-silico de Cultivos Agrícolas Sostenibles (Infraestructura y validación en Arroz y Caña de Azúcar) Scientific Ecosystem belonging to the Colombia Científica Program, sponsored by The World Bank, The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MINCIENCIAS), ICETEX, the Colombian Ministry of Education and the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, under GRANT ID: FP44842-217-2018, OMICAS Award ID: 792-61187.