Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Apigenin Glycosides and Their Effect on the Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum)

Flavonoids are a group of secondary metabolites found in most families. They are known to have important physiological functions in plants by protecting them against biotic stresses. Liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the flavonoid profiles, especially apigenin glycosides, their total concentration, as well as changes in the amount of six flavones found in the aerial parts of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (Fabaceae) Radius cv. for three vegetative stages, uninfested and infested by the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) (Homoptera: Aphididae). It has been shown that both control and infested green aerial parts of alfalfa plants had similar flavonoid profiles. The dominant flavonoid of alfalfa was compound 7-O-[2-O-feruloyl-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1→2)-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-4’-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosideapigenin. Compound 4’-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosideapigenin was present in the smallest amounts. The total concentration of flavones was rather high and ranged from 10.32 to 12.28 mg/g d.m., but there were no significant differences between uninfested and infested alfalfa plants. There was a negative correlation between the concentration of total apigenin glycosides in the alfalfa plants and pea aphid abundance and phloem sap ingestion. This finding may indicate the importance of apigenin glycoside forms as nutritional compounds.