USDA Scientists Study Pest-Fighting Potential of Plant Pigments
August 19, 2011| |
U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists are investigating the ability of plant pigments called anthocyanins to fight pests. They observed that corn earworm caterpillars that consumed blue areas of petunia petals gained less weight than those larvae that fed on the white petals. They also observed that the caterpillars exposed to anthocyanins had slower growth rate. Cabbage looper caterpillars also exhibited similar results. Those that fed on the blue area of petunia petals had higher mortality rate than those that fed on the white areas.
According to Eric Johnson, a molecular biologist of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), "it's unclear what petal compound or compounds were involved in the loopers' deaths, their toxicity was apparently increased by the anthocyanins' presence."
The findings of this study could give rise to new crop varieties that have "dual-use phytochemicals" which can fight pest and benefit human health at the same time.
Read more at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2011/110816.htm.
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