Feeding SO2-fumigated soybean leaves to the Mexican bean beetle is known to increase beetle growth and fecundity. As glutathione (GSH), an important element in both plant and insect antioxidant systems, is also known to increase following various plant stresses, the effect of SO2 on soybean GSH concentrations was investigated. GSH levels were found to vary with SO2 in the same manner as did the insect response. GSH concentration may therefore be a useful predictor of insect growth on stressed plants. Possible metabolic causes for GSH increase following SO2 fumigation are discussed.
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Chiment et al. (1986) studied this question.
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