Chemically mediated plant-herbivore coevolution: influence of plant cyanogenic compounds on feeding and growth of the Eastern Tent Caterpillar, Malacosoma americanum.

Abstract

We investigated the evolutionary stance of Malacosoma americanum in the stepwise coevolutionary process between herbivores and plants, in field and laboratory experiments. We tested the benefits of M. americanum's specialization on P. serotina. Our hypothesis states that the cyanogenic glycoside found in P. serotina is used as a feeding stimulant by M. americanum. Our statistical data shows a higher relative growth rate in P. serotina in comparison to some of our tested plant species. However, we also concluded that cyanogenic glycosides are not significantly used as a feeding stimulant.