The group composition of epicuticular waxes of the five Polish varieties of Solanum tuberosum were studied by HPLC, GC, and GC/MS. Alkanes, alcohols (primary and secondary), fatty acids and ketones (terminal and internal) were identified and quantified. The quantitative compositional results were analysed by chemometrie methods such as cluster and principal component analysis. A correlation was found between Colorado potato beetle infestation and quantities of specific chemical groups in epicuticular waxes.

The process of plant selection by insects is mediated by repellents and attractants. Several compounds may be involved in this interaction. Thus intraspecific variation of the compounds concentration play an important role in the herbivory. The best tool for the characteristic of this variation is chemometrics. The strategy of the analysis with the use of literature data on terpen es and sesquiterpenes variations in Pin us caribaea needles in relation to Atta laevigata herbivory is exemplified herein. Simple cluster analysis and principal components analysis were used for the data study. Two factors were found lo be sufficient to describe total variation in more than 90%. Factor I is responsible for repellent properties. From factor loading, the relevant chemical compounds were identified.

The influence of bean seed surface lipids on infestation of seeds by Acanthoscelides obtectus Say was investigated. The experiments were performed in dual-choice bioassays on three bean varieties: Blanka, Bor and Longina. The collected data for natural and solvent washed seeds concerned the number of ovipositions, embryo mortality, lack of seed-boring activity, dead larvae inside seeds and developed insects. The results clearly indicated that bean seed surface lipids are involved in all infestation stages, and could be used to distinguish resistant and non-resistant varieties of been. Chemical analyses revealed the following groups of surface lipids: wax esters, long chain primary alcohols, n-alkanes, sterols, fatty acids, squalene, aldehydes, monoacylglycerols, ketones and fatty acid esters. Quantitative composition of surface lipids was analysed using selected chemometric procedures to determine correlation with bioactivity. Cluster analysis of surface lipid composition enabled to distinguish resistant and non-resistant varieties. Fatty acids and monoacylglycerols were found to deter bean weevil infestation, while alkan-1-ols acted as attractants.