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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #130981
Title: VOLATILE COMPOSITIONS OF ROOT-BORER INFESTED AND UNINFESTED SAMPLES OF GUTIERREZIA SAROTHRAE (BROOM SNAKEWEED)

Author
item MORRISON, ANDRINE - NEW MEXICO STATE UNIV
item Lucero, Mary
item Frederickson, Eddie
item REMMENGA, MARTA - NEW MEXICO STATE UNIV
item RICHMAN, DAVE - NEW MEXICO STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Society for Range Management Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/8/2002
Publication Date: 1/8/2002
Citation: MORRISON, A., LUCERO, M.E., FREDRICKSON, E.L., REMMENGA, M., RICHMAN, D. VOLATILE COMPOSITIONS OF ROOT-BORER INFESTED AND UNINFESTED SAMPLES OF GUTIERREZIA SAROTHRAE (BROOM SNAKEWEED). SOCIETY FOR RANGE MANAGEMENT MEETING ABSTRACTS. 2002. P. 8.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) is an abundant range subshrub in the western United States. Toxic to cattle and sheep, this plant is considered highly undesirable in the rangeland ecosystem. Much research has been carried out in an attempt to control or eliminate snakeweed. To date, no method has been satisfactorily effective. Snakeweed has two root-boring beetles that tunnel within the plant to develop. These grubs, Crossidius pullchellus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and Myrmex linneolata (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) can cause much physical damage to snakeweed, but little is known about the chemical plant-insect interaction. In this study, we have used gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) and GC-FID to identify and quantify differences in volatile chemicals present in snakeweed samples with and without root borers. At present, 81 volatile compounds have been identified, many of which have not been previously reported in snakeweed. Values of these compounds present in each group of samples are reported here. Statistical analysis is currently underway to determine the significance of differences in the levels of these chemicals between samples.