Hemicelluloses, such as xyloglucan, xylan and mannans, consist of a heterogeneous array of plant-derived polysaccharides that form the plant cell wall. These polysaccharides differ from each other in their structure and physiochemical properties, but they share a β-(1,4)-linked sugar backbone. Hemicelluloses can be hydrolyzed by plant-cell-wall-degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), which are widely distr...

Antagonistic sexual coevolution stems from the notion that male and female interests over reproduction are in conflict. Such conflicts appear to be particularly obvious when male genital armature inflicts damage to the female reproductive tract resulting in reduced female longevity. However, studies of mating frequency, genital damage and female longevity are difficult to interpret because fema...

If typical host plants are absent, some herbivorous insects “dump” eggs on unsuitable substrates, even though this can cause complete larval mortality and reduced maternal life span. In the seedbeetleCallosobruchusmaculatus (F.) (Coleoptera:Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), the tendency to dump eggs varies genetically both within and between populations. A previous study hypothesized that egg-dumping ...

Theory predicts that costly secondary sexual traits will evolve heightened condition dependence, and many studies have reported strong condition dependence of signal and weapon traits in a variety of species. However, although genital structures often play key roles in intersexual interactions and appear to be subject to sexual or sexually antagonistic selection, few studies have examined the c...

The biological activity of essential oil extracted from coriander, Coriandrum sativum L. (Apiaceae), seeds against adults of Tribolium confusum Duval (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Callosobruchus maculatus F. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) was investigated in a series of laboratory experiments. Fumigant toxicity was assessed at 27 ± 1°C and 65 ± 5% R.H., in dark condition. Dry seeds of the plant were...

We have studied the relationship of bruchids and their legume hosts by extensive field sampling throughout Hungary over 17 years and by rearing the beetles from the samples in the laboratory. The value of the system lies in the accuracy of host affiliations. A total of 138 species and subspecies of plants were sampled, representing approximately 87% of the Leguminosae in Hungary. Only 51 legume...