Antifeedants for the Colorado Potato Beetle—I. Antifeeding Constituents of Some Plants from the Sagebrush Community

Abstract
A 2-choice type bioassay was used to screen extracts from a number of plants of the sagebrush community for their antifeeding properties against the Colorado potato beetle, L. decemlineata Say. The extracts of Artemisia tridentata Nutt., Purshia tridentata (Pursh.) and Chrysothamnus nauseosus (Pall.) Britt. were fractionated for their antifeeding constituents [Also tested were Eriogonum sphaerocephalum Dougl., Salvia dorrii (Kell.) Abrams and A. rigida (Nutt.) A. Gray.] Known constituents of these plants (deacetalmatricarin, coumarins, cucurbitacins, polyphenols, polyacetylenes and essential oils) were also screened. Several chemical classes of compounds are responsible for antifeeding activity in each plant. Water soluble substances present in the waste marc after steam distillation of peppermint oil were highly active, too.