Do the Contents of Luteolin, Tricin, and Chrysoeriol Glycosides in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Affect the Behavior of Pea Aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum)?

Flavonoids play an important role in interactions of plants with the environment. Liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the flavonoid profiles (especially luteolin, tricin, and chrysoeriol glycosides), their total concentrations, and changes in the amounts of eight flavones found in the aerial parts of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (Fabaceae) Radius cv., uninfested and infested by the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris) (Homoptera: Aphididae). It was shown that both control and infested green aerial parts of alfalfa plants had similar flavonoid profiles. The dominant flavonoid of alfalfa was compound 7-O-[2-O-feruloyl-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1→2)-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-4’-O-β-D-glucuronopyranosideluteolin. Compound 7-O-{2’-O-feruloyl-[β-D-glucuronopyranosyl(1→3)]-O-β-Dglucuronopyranosyl(1→2)-O-β-Dglucuronopyranosidetricin was present in the smallest amounts. The total concentration of flavones was rather high and ranged from 11.13 to 12.34 mg/g d.m., but there were no significant differences between uninfested and infested alfalfa plants. There was a correlation between the concentration of flavonoid glycosides in the alfalfa plants and pea aphid abundance. Pea aphid daily fecundity per female was affected by luteolin, tricin, and chrysoeriol glycosides and the level of chrysoeriol glycosides affected ingestion of xylem sap by the aphid. This finding may indicate that the studied flavonoid glycoside forms are biologically active in alfalfa – A. pisum interactions.