Biochemical profiling of epidermal body wax and honeydew excretions inpolyphagous mealybug species

B R jayanthi mala; P D Kamala Jayanthi; P Saravan Kumar; K S Shivashankara; T K Roy

doi:10.24154/jhs.v21i1.4427

Authors

B R jayanthi mala ICAR-IIHR , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Author
P D Kamala Jayanthi Division of Crop rotection , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Author
P Saravan Kumar Division of Crop Protection , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Author
K S Shivashankara Division of Basic Sciences , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Author
T K Roy Division of Basic Sciences , Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24154/jhs.v21i1.4427

Keywords:

Honeydew, LC-MS/MS, mealybug wax, mealybugs, sugar profiling, wax profiling

Abstract

Mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) are vulnerable soft bodied insects protected by an external hydrophobic wax coating, which shields them from extreme temperatures and pesticide applications. This study characterized the biochemical composition of mealybug body wax and sugar profile of honeydew, viz., Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green, Planococcus citrii Risso, Ferrisia virgata Cockerell, Rastrococcus iceryoides Green. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry profiling, revealed that mealybug body wax is primarily composed of long-chain hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, aldehydes and ketones. The major hydrocarbons detected included phenyl tetramethyl cyclopentadiene, 1,19-eicosadiene tetratriacontane. Key wax esters identified included ä-methyl-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-devinylchlorine 6 trimethyl ester, with notable interspecies variation in hydrocarbon composition. The honeydew primarily composed of sugars such as fructose, glucose and sucrose, with distinct dominance patterns among species. Rastrococcus iceryoides had glucose as the dominant sugar (32.12 g/100 g of honeydew), while fructose was most abundant in M. hirsutus (25.18 g/100 g) and P. citrii (16.1 g/100 g). Understanding the biochemical makeup of mealybug body wax and honeydew composition could aid in developing new management tactics for controlling these notoriously hard-to-kill pests.

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Author Biographies

B R jayanthi mala, ICAR-IIHR, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research

Dr. B. R. Jayanthi Mala is a Senior Scientist in the Division of Crop Protection at ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. Her research focuses on insect chemical ecology,host plant resistance, host–parasitoid interactions, and the integrated management of horticultural pests, with a special emphasis on biochemical and behavioural studies of insect pests and their natural enemies.
P D Kamala Jayanthi, Division of Crop rotection, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research

Dr. P. D. Kamala Jayanthi is a National Porfessor & Principal Scientist in the Division of Crop Protection at ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. Her expertise lies in insect chemical ecology, behavioural entomology, and the development of eco-friendly pest management strategies in horticultural crops, with notable contributions to semiochemical-based pest and natural enemy interactions.
P Saravan Kumar, Division of Crop Protection, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research

Mr. Saravan Kumar P is a Senior Research Fellow in the Division of Crop Protection at ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. His
K S Shivashankara, Division of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research

Dr. K. S. Shivashankara is a Principal Scientist in the Division of Basic Sciences at ICAR–Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru. His research expertise includes plant physiology, stress biology, and postharvest physiology of horticultural crops, with a focus on abiotic stress tolerance, fruit quality, and biochemical profiling.
T K Roy, Division of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research

TK Roy, Chief Technical Officer, ICAR-IIHR

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