For animals to execute odor-driven behaviors, the olfactory system must process complex odor signals and maintain stimulus identity in the face of constantly changing odor intensities [1-5]. Surprisingly, how the olfactory system maintains identity of complex odors is unclear [6-10]. We took advantage of the plant-pollinator relationship between the Sacred Datura (Datura wrightii) and the moth ...

BACKGROUND Combinations of floral traits - which operate as attractive signals to pollinators - act on multiple sensory modalities. For Manduca sexta hawkmoths, how learning modifies foraging decisions in response to those traits remains untested, and the contribution of visual and olfactory floral displays on behavior remains unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Using M. sexta and the flo...

Tropane alkaloids present a great economic value in particular for pharmaceutical industry. The culture of Datura sp hairy roots obtained by inoculation with A4 Agrobacterium rhizogenes offers promising prospects for alkaloids in-vitro production. The objective of our study is to try optimizing hyoscyamine production exploiting the composition of mineral fraction of the culture media. On the wh...

Introduction: Opposite observations about the discrepancy in the pain perception between male and female has been reported. In this regard, pain thresholds among male and female rats in different phases of oestrous cycle were evaluated via tail immersion test. In addition, efficiency of alcoholic extract of datura stramonium as an analgesic plant in the modulation of acute pain threshold has be...

When plants are introduced into new regions, the absence of their co-evolved natural enemies can result in lower levels of attack. As a consequence of this reduction in enemy pressure, plant performance may increase and selection for resistance to enemies may decrease. In the present study, we compared leaf damage, plant size and leaf trichome density, as well as the direction and magnitude of ...

The present study was carried out to determine the phytochemical profile and antibacterial activity of Andrographis paniculata and Datura metel extracts. For the present investigation, extracts of A. paniculata and D.metel were prepared by extraction in methanol, chloroform, acetone and benzene and were compared for their antibacterial activity. The antibacterial activities were assessed by mea...

All Indian species of the genus Lordiphosa Basden are reviewed, with descriptions of four new species, L. curva Fartyal & Toda, sp. n. of the denticeps species group and L. ayarpathaensis Kandpal & Singh, sp. n., L. makaibarensis Pradhan & Chatterjee, sp. n. and L. srinagarensis Sati & Fartyal, sp. n. of the nigricolor species group. Two of the new species, L. ayarpathaensis and L. makaibarensi...

Insects pinpoint mates, food and oviposition sites by olfactory cues. Recognizing and localizing a suitable target by olfaction is demanding. Odor sources emit characteristic blends of compounds that have to be identified against an environmentally derived olfactory background. This background, however, does not necessarily disturb the localization of a source. Rather, the contrary. Sex pheromo...

Traits that are attractive to mutualists may also attract antagonists, resulting in conflicting selection pressures. Here we develop the idea that increased floral nectar production can, in some cases, increase herbivory. In these situations, selection for increased nectar production to attract pollinators may be constrained by a linked cost of herbivore attraction. In support of this hypothesi...