Abstract: Cruciferous plants (Cruciferae) possess a strong glucosinolate-myrosinase defense system, known as the “mustard oil bomb”, which has been well characterized as a plant chemical defense mechanism. Glucosinolates and myrosinases are separately stored in different compartments in host plant cells. However, insect herbivore feeding, pathogen attacks and mechanical injuries may trigger interactions between these compounds， whereby myrosinase hydrolyzes glucosinolates to generate toxic products, such as isothiocyanate, nitriles and other organic thiocyanates. Insect herbivores, in turn, have evolved ingenious detoxification strategies to overcome plant chemical defenses. Corresponding to different glucosinolate profiles, these strategies are also diverse, not only between the groups of generalist and specialist herbivores, but also within each of the groups. Based on the previous studies, the major types of glucosinolates, the glucosinolate-myrosinase defense system, and the insect herbivory-induced defense responses of cruciferous plants were reviewed in this article. And how cruciferous insect herbivores detoxify, sequestrate, transport and utilize glucosinolates of their host plants were elaborated with a view to provide insights into the evolutionary adaptation of cruciferous plants and insect herbivores.  

Key words: Glucosinolate-myrosinase, co-evolution, counteradaptation, generalist herbivores, specialist herbivores