Title: | Effect of conditioning on discrimination of oilseed rape volatiles by the honeybee: use of a combined gas chromatography-proboscis extension behavioural assay |
Author(s): | Le Metayer M; Marion-Poll F; Sandoz JC; Pham-Delegue MH; Blight MM; Wadhams LJ; Masson C; Woodcock CM; |
Address: | "Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Comparee des Invertebres, INRA-CNRS (URA 1190), Bures-sur-Yvette, France" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0379-864X (Print) 0379-864X (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The coupled gas chromatography-proboscis extension assay technique was used on restrained worker bees to study responses to components of an extract of oilseed rape floral volatiles. Bees were stimulated with the effluent from the gas chromatograph after either paired or unpaired conditioning to the extract, or after a control treatment. Proboscis extension activity was elicited in six areas of the chromatogram. However, the number of bees responding in two of these areas were too low to be considered in the present study. One significant area of activity was associated with the major component, (E,E)-alpha-farnesene, whilst the others were associated with several minor components. Although all three groups of bees, irrespective of the treatments applied, showed some responses to the components eluting from the GC column, only bees subjected to paired conditioning consistently responded when re-tested to the mixture. In addition, paired conditioning increased the responsiveness of individuals in terms of the number of bees responding at least once to the effluent from the gas chromatograph. This work confirmed the occurrence of key compounds in floral volatile mixtures. Possible synergistic/inhibitory effects between components, relating to olfactory experience, are discussed" |
Keywords: | "Animals Bees/*physiology Chromatography, Gas/methods Conditioning, Classical/classification/drug effects/*physiology Discrimination, Psychological/*drug effects/*physiology Oils, Volatile/*pharmacology Pheromones/pharmacology Plant Oils/*chemistry Sesquit;" |
Notes: | "MedlineLe Metayer, M Marion-Poll, F Sandoz, J C Pham-Delegue, M H Blight, M M Wadhams, L J Masson, C Woodcock, C M eng Comparative Study England 1997/08/01 Chem Senses. 1997 Aug; 22(4):391-8. doi: 10.1093/chemse/22.4.391" |