Addendum in pocket. Biblography: leaves 162-173. Phytophagous sucking insects, aphids in particular, are common pests of plants. These insects secrete salivary enzymes into their food material. One plant defence mechanism is the induction and/or accumulation of deterrent phytochemicals. In the present study, a model enzyme system was chosen to mimic the oxidative activity of insect saliva. Isolation and sructural identification of the products of plant allelochemicals was achieved for several substrates. Insects were also exposed to individual plant chemicals in feeding "choice" tests. Preliminary examinations suggest that plants containing increased levels of phenolic allelochemicals show correlated increases in resistance to attack by aphids.

Addendum in pocket. / Biblography: leaves 162-173. / v, 177, [5] leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Phytophagous sucking insects, aphids in particular, are common pests of plants. These insects secrete salivary enzymes into their food material. One plant defence mechanism is the induction and/or accumulation of deterrent phytochemicals. In the present study, a model enzyme system was chosen to mimic the oxidative activity of insect saliva. Isolation and sructural identification of the products of plant allelochemicals was achieved for several substrates. Insects were also exposed to individual plant chemicals in feeding "choice" tests. Preliminary examinations suggest that plants containing increased levels of phenolic allelochemicals show correlated increases in resistance to attack by aphids. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Crop Protection, 1996