The aim of this study is to investigate the habituation phenomenon of essential oils as potential feeding deterrents in agricultural practices and their associations with taste receptors. Non-choice tests and contact-fumigation bioassays were conducted to determine the feeding deterrency and insecticidal activity of 30 commercial oils on the third instar larvae of the tobacco cutworm. The results indicated that lemongrass, fennel sweet, and clove bud oils had the highest feeding deterrency in that order, and no direct correlation between insecticidal activity and feeding deterrency was observed. To validate the habituation phenomenon, larvae were exposed to the three abovementioned oils at a 1 mg/g for 48 h, then a choice assay was conducted. It showed a significant reduction in both feeding deterrence and repellency in all cases. Similar reductions in feeding deterrence were observed when individuals exposed to the main components of the three oils: citral&limonene, anethole, and eugenol. Additionally, the oil mixture of fennel sweet and clove bud exhibited the most significant synergistic effect on feeding deterrency, suggesting a relatively slower habituation process. This reduction in feeding deterrence is presumed to be due to desensitization of the larval taste sensory organs, including the maxillary palp, lateral styloconica, and medial styloconica. Further research will be conducted to investigate the specific mechanisms and spike activity associated with these sensory organs using electrophysiological study.

The aim of the study was to set up assessment indicators for early elimination of horses that are not trainable or low efficient for training by comparing difference of behavioral response and heart rate on stimulation of desensitization training in horses. The animals used in this study were 8 untrained cross-bred horses (Thoroughbred and Jeju-horse) in Jeju island. Changes of heart rates and behavioral response of each horses were compared before and after desensitization training using a plastic bag on its tip. The result showed that the horses with their severe behavioral response were also high in heart rate during early stage of desensitization training, and the increased heart rates were recovered back to the base level according to the process of the training. The horses that quickly recovered in heart rate also showed same tendency in behavioral response. The horses that their recovery in heart rate and behavioral response in early stage of the desensitization training were late, showed insufficient results of the additional desensitization training. We conclude that assessment of heart rate and behavioral response in the early stage of desensitization training could be used as indicators to predict the effectiveness of desensitization or other kinds of training in horses.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of desensitization and flooding on the behavior of dogs during grooming, focusing on their response to the sound and skin stimulation while using a clipper. A total of 20 adult dogs over two years of age with complete personality formation were included in the study. Ten dogs, of which three were Bichons (average weight 5 kg), four were Poodles (average weight 5 kg), and three were Malteses (average weight 4 kg), were subjected to the desensitization process. The remaining 10 adult dogs were subjected to the flooding experiment, and were of the same breed and average weight as the adult dogs used in the desensitization process. The desensitization and the flooding were performed three times a day (approximately 1 min per session) for 10 days. For desensitization, statistical significance was observed only on the fifth day, when compared by breed (p<0.05). Overall, when compared by measurement day, the results of desensitization for Bichon, Poodle and Maltese dogs were statistically significant (p<0.05). The results for the Bichon, Poodle, and Maltese dogs that were subjected to flooding were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). There was a significant difference in the results of the flooding on the second and ninth days (p<0.05); however, flooding had no effect on the other days (p>0.05). Desensitization using the clipper, a beauty tool, was faster than flooding in achieving stabilization. In conclusion, desensitization and flooding showed positive results on the stress relief and emotions of dogs during grooming, with respect to cosmetic fear response.