Abstract
Parameters such as the intensity of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, the inter-trial interval, and starvation time can influence learning. In this study, the parameters that govern aversive learning in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, a serious pest of fruits and vegetables, were examined. Male flies were trained to associate the attractive odorant methyl eugenol, a male lure, with a food punishment, sodium chloride solution, and the conditioned suppression of the proboscis-extension response was investigated. We found that high methyl eugenol concentrations support a stronger association. With increasing concentrations of sodium chloride solution, a steady decrease of proboscis-extension response during six training trials was observed. A high level of learning was achieved with an inter-trial interval of 1–10 min. However, extending the inter-trial interval to 15 min led to reduced learning. No effect of physiological status (starvation time) on learning performance was detected, nor was any non-associative learning effect induced by the repeat presentation of odor or punishment alone. The memory formed after six training trials could be retained for at least 3 h. Our results indicate that aversive learning by oriental fruit flies can be affected by odor, punishment concentration and inter-trial interval.
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Abbreviations
- DEET:
-
N,N-diethyl-3-methyl benzoyl amide
- ITI:
-
Inter-trial interval
- KW test:
-
Kruskal–Wallis test
- ME:
-
Methyl eugenol
- PER:
-
Proboscis extension response
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Acknowledgements
This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31401800), the Department of Education of Guangdong Province (GJHZ1140) and Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Insect Behavior Regulation (2015B090903076).
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Liu, J.L., Chen, H.L., Chen, X.Y. et al. Factors influencing aversive learning in the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis . J Comp Physiol A 203, 57–65 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-016-1135-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-016-1135-7