Enantiospecific Effect of Pulegone and Pulegone-Derived Lactones on Myzus persicae (Sulz.) Settling and Feeding

The effect of pulegone chiral center configuration on its antifeedant activity to Myzus persicae was examined. Biological consequences of structural modifications of (R)-(+)- and (S)-(−)-pulegone, the lactonization, iodolactonization, and incorporation of hydroxyl and carbonyl groups were studied, as well. The most active compounds were (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) and δ-hydroxy-γ-spirolactones (5S,6R,8S)-(−)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro4.5]decan-2-one (5b) and (5R,6S,8S)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro4.5]decan-2-one (6b) derived from (S)-(−)-pulegone (1b). The compounds deterred aphid probing and feeding at preingestional, ingestional, and postingestional phases of feeding. The preingestional effect of (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) was manifested as difficulty in finding and reaching the phloem (i.e., prolonged time preceding the first contact with phloem vessels), a high proportion of probes not reaching beyond the mesophyll layer before first phloem phase, and/or failure to find sieve elements by 20% of aphids during the 8-hr experiment. The ingestional activity of (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) and hydroxylactones 5b and 6b resulted in a decrease in duration of phloem sap ingestion, a decrease in the proportion of aphids with sustained sap ingestion, and an increase in the proportion of aphid salivation in phloem. δ-Keto-γ-spirolactone (5R,8S)-(−)-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro4.5]decan-2,6-dione (8b) produced a weak ingestional effect (shortened phloem phase). The postingestional deterrence of (R)-(+)-pulegone (1a) and δ-hydroxy-γ-spirolactones (5R,6S,8R)-(+)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro4.5]-decan-2-one (5a), 5b, (5S,6R,8R)-6-hydroxy-4,4,8-trimethyl-1-oxaspiro4.5]decan-2-one (6a), 6b, and δ-keto-γ-spirolactone 8b prevented aphids from settling on treated leaves. The trans position of methyl group CH₃–8 and the bond C5–O1 in lactone 6b appeared to weaken the deterrent activity in relation to the cis diastereoisomer (5b).