Eur. J. Entomol. 92 (1): 295-300, 1995
Distribution and levels of phytoecdysteroids within individual plants of species of the Chenopodiaceae
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Radioimmunoassay was used to quantify the levels of ecdysteroids in extracts of portions of single plants of several members of the Chenopodiaceae. Species were chosen because previous studies had shown that seeds of these species were ecdysteroid-containing and because they represent several tribes within the Chenopodiaceae. Total ecdysteroid levels varied considerably between species and between different parts of the same plant. Phytoecdysteroid-containing members of the genus Chenopodium appear to possess the same distribution as previously found for C. album, as does Spinacia oleracea. Rhagodia candolleana is characterized by very high levels of ecdysteroids, with the highest levels being associated with newly developing side-shoots. Preliminary data for Beta patellaris reveal high levels associated with the lower portions of the plant and rapidly increasing levels associated with the reproductive tissues during flowering and fruiting, to give the high levels previously found to be associated with the seed. Taken together these data tend to support a role for phytoecdysteroids in insect deterrence, but the situation is complex, probably reflecting the subtle interplay between the plant and detrimental/beneficial insects which has occurred during evolution.
Keywords: Atriplex, Axyris, Beta, Chenopodium, Rhagodia, Spinacia, Kochia, Chenopodiaceae, phytoecdysteroid, radioimmunoassay
Accepted: January 3, 1995; Published: February 24, 1995 Show citation
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