Naturally occurring substances that appear to repel a leaf-eating insect pest have been found in the leaves of Spanish cedar trees. Veitch and co-workers say that selecting seedlings with high concentrations of these previously unidentified substances, known as limonoids, may help in the production of plantation-raised Spanish cedars while also reducing the need for synthetic insecticides.

"The four compounds we identified are new to science," said Philip C. Stevenson, Ph.D., natural product chemist at the Jodrell Laboratory of the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich, and the study's primary coordinator. "As well, our study was the first to examine Spanish cedar leaves for the particular group of substances (known as triterpenoids, which include limonoids) in tandem with the first extensive field observations of insect feeding patterns o­n Spanish cedars. We are providing field observations rather than mere in vitro (laboratory) evidence that insects actually reject leaves containing these substances. We hope our findings will help in the protection of endangered primary forests in the tropics by promoting economically viable alternatives for timber production."

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