AUTHOR=Chen Tingting , Chen Limin , Wang Jinchao , Cheng Jianghui , Yi Songwang , Hafeez Muhammad , Zhou Shuxing , Li Yuanxi , Li Xiaowei , Lu Yaobin 

TITLE=Development of attractants and repellents for Tuta absoluta based on plant volatiles from tomato and eggplant

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1155317

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2023.1155317

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=Introduction: Tuta absoluta is currently considered one of the most devastating invasive pests of solanaceous plants worldwide, causing severe damage to the tomato industry. Insects use plant volatiles to locate plant hosts for feeding and oviposition. Those VOCs could be developed as lures for pest monitoring and control. 
Methods: In this study, the differentially accumulated volatile organic compounds between the preferred host (tomato) and non-preferred host (eggplant) were analyzed by GC-MS method, and their roles on female Tuta absoluta selection and egg laying behaviors were investigated using electroantennography (EAG), olfactometer and cage experiments.
Results: A total of 39 differentially accumulated VOCs were identified in tomato and eggplant. Strong EAG signals were obtained in 9 VOCs, including 5 highly accumulated in tomato and 4 highly accumulated in eggplant. Further olfactometer bioassays showed that 4 compounds (1-nonanol, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl octanoate and o-nitrophenol) were attractive to T. absoluta females, while 5 compounds (2-phenylethanol, 2-pentylfuran, trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal, 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine and trans-2-nonenal) were repellent, indicating that VOCs from host plants play important roles in host plant preferences. The attractive activities of 1-nonanol and ethyl octanoate, as well as the repellent activities of trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal and trans-2-nonenal, were further confirmed in cage experiments.
Discussion: we determined that 1-nonanol, ethyl octanoate is indeed attractive to Tuta absoluta for egg laying. Trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal and trans-2-nonenal are detrimental to the egg laying of Tuta absoluta. Our results could be useful to enhance the development of eco-friendly and sustainable pest management strategies for T. absoluta.