Attractive Toxic Sugar Baits (ATSB) are used in a "lure-and-kill" approach for management of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, but the active chemicals were previously unknown. Here we collected volatiles from a mango, Mangifera indica, juice bait which is used in ATSBs in Tanzania and tested mosquito responses. In a Y-tube olfactometer, female mosquitoes were attracted to the mango volatiles collected 24-48 h, 48-72 h and 72-96 h after preparing the bait but volatiles collected at 96-120 h were no longer attractive. Volatile analysis revealed emission of 23 compounds in different chemical classes including alcohols, aldehydes, alkanes, benzenoids, monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and oxygenated terpenes. Coupled GC-electroantennogram (GC-EAG) recordings from the antennae of An. gambiae showed robust responses to 4 compounds: humulene, (E)-caryophyllene, terpinolene and myrcene. In olfactometer bioassays, mosquitoes were attracted to humulene and terpinolene. (E)-caryophyllene was marginally attractive while myrcene elicited an avoidance response with female mosquitoes. A blend of humulene, (E)caryophyllene and terpinolene was highly attractive to females (P < 0.001) when tested against a solvent blank. Furthermore, there was no preference when this synthetic blend was offered as a choice against the natural sample. Our study has identified the key compounds from mango juice baits that attract An. gambiae and this information may help to improve the ATSBs currently used against malaria vectors.

Vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus F. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an economically 20 important pest species in many soft-fruit and ornamental crops. Economic losses arise from 21 damage to the roots, caused by larvae, and to the leaves, caused by adults. As adults are nocturnal and larvae feed below ground, infestations can initially be missed, and controls 23 may, as a result, be applied too late. In the absence of a vine weevil sex or aggregation 24 pheromone being identified, the development of an effective semiochemical lure for better 25 management of this pest is likely to focus on host-plant volatiles. Here, we investigate the 26 electrophysiological and behavioral responses of adult vine weevils to volatile organic 27 compounds (VOCs) originating from their preferred host plant Euonymus fortunei, and 28 synthetic VOCs associated with this host when presented individually or as blends. 29 Consistent electroantennographic responses were observed to a range of generalist VOCs. 30 Behavioral responses to VOCs, when presented individually, were found to be influenced by 31 the concentration of the compound to which the weevils were exposed. Vine weevil adults 32 showed directional movement towards a mixture of seven plant volatiles (methyl salicylate, 33 1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-hexenol, (Z)-3-hexenol, 1-hexanol, (E)-2-pentenol, and linalool) even 34 though either no response or negative responses were recorded to each of these compounds 35 when presented individually. Similarly, vine weevils showed directional movement towards a 36 1:1 ratio mixture of (Z)-2-pentenol and methyl eugenol. Results presented here point to the 37 importance of blends of generalist compounds and concentrations of VOCs in the 38 optimization of a lure.

Vertical farming is an emerging area of food production that aims to provide sustainable intensification of agriculture by maximising the obtainable yield per unit area of land. This approach commonly utilises stacked horizontal levels of crop growth in glasshouse or controlled environment (CE) facilities. Vertical farming has, however, received relatively little scientific investigation to date. Consequently, important factors such as economic feasibility, system design and optimisation of production methods are still being evaluated. Vertical farming methods bring additional considerations for the effective management of pests and diseases compared with conventional protected horticulture, such as movement of both pest and beneficial insects between growth levels.This article aims to provide a perspective on the positive and negative issues facing pest and disease control in Vertical farming systems. We highlight important considerations for system optimisation and areas for future investigation.