AUTHOR=Chen Hong-hao , Zhang Rong , Tan Shu-qian , Wang Yan , Liu Xiao-li , Shi Wang-peng 

TITLE=Components and composition of active volatiles attract on Diorhabda tarsalis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Rosales: Leguminoseae)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ecology-and-evolution/articles/10.3389/fevo.2022.1080208

DOI=10.3389/fevo.2022.1080208

ISSN=2296-701X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Perennial Chinese licorice, <italic>Glycyrrhiza uralensis</italic>, is an important medicinal plant. <italic>Diorhabda tarsalis</italic>, a leaf beetle, is a serious insect pest on the plant and cause serious yield losses every year and is attracted to healthy and pest-damaged licorice by plant volatiles.</p></sec><sec><title>Aim</title><p>The biologically active components of the volatiles released from <italic>G. uralensis</italic> have not been reported; the components of the volatiles that attract <italic>D. tarsalis</italic> need to be identified. Such compounds could potentially be used for monitoring and mass-trapping pests.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>GC-EAD, GC-MS, EAG, Y-shaped olfactometer behavioral bioassays, and field trials were performed to identify the components and composition of active volatiles.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Male and virgin female adults were generally attracted to volatiles from licorice, and volatiles from pest-infested plants were more attractive. Four compounds from licorice elicited a significant electrophysiological response (EAD) and were confirmed by EAG, including hexanal, (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, and (E)-2-hexenal. With the exception of the (E)-2-hexenal, these molecules significantly attracted adults in individual behavioral bioassays, and a proportional mixture corresponding to beetle-damaged licorice of hexanal, (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, and (E)-2-hexenal (8.78:15.26:57.24:18.72) was most effective for attracting <italic>D. tarsalis</italic> in the field, attracted a mean of 26 ± 7.19 beetles per trap.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p><italic>D. tarsalis</italic> was attracted to volatiles from healthy and herbivore-induced <italic>G. uralensis</italic> under both laboratory and field conditions. The aforementioned compounds show considerable potential for commercial application to monitor and control <italic>D. tarsalis</italic> populations.</p></sec>