Plant volatiles mediated the orientation preference of slugs to different plant species

Abstract

BACKGROUNDSlugs mechanically damage plant leaves and resulting in significant economic losses. However, there are limited cost‐efficient strategies available in slug management. By studying how slugs utilize plant volatiles to locate host plants, we can gain insights into the design of attractants and repellents.RESULTSBioassay result suggests slugs (Agriolimax agrestis) prefer to orientate to lettuce (Lactuca sativa), cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.), and young tobacco seedlings, compared with old tobacco seedlings. Next, we analyzed the volatomics of lettuce, cabbage, young and old tobacco seedlings. The 2‐(2‐butox yethoxy)‐ethanol, acetate (2EA) shows high abundance while nonanal, decanal, and β‐ cylocitral show relatively low content in volatiles. Old tobacco seedlings release significantly more hexanal but fewer 1,4‐dihydro‐4‐oxopyridazine (DO). In olfactory test, hexanal, nonanal, decanal, and β‐cylocitral show strong repellency to slugs. While 1,4‐dihydro‐4‐oxopyridazine at the dose of 500 ng/μl and 2‐(2‐butoxyethoxy)‐ethanol, acetate at the dose of 1% are attractive to slugs. The two alkanes, hexadecane and heptadecane have no effects on slug orientating to host plants. The DO and 2EA can alleviate the repellency of hexanal, nonanal, decanal and β‐cylocitral.CONCLUSIONThe high emission of hexanal in old tobacco seedlings helps repel slugs away. While 2EA and DO attract slugs to lettuce and cabbage. These findings suggest that these chemicals can be utilized in the design of repellents and attractants, and contribute to constructing a push‐pull system for slug control.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Host Volatiles Potentially Drive Two Evolutionarily Related Weevils to Select Different Grains

“…Mass spectra were scanned in the range m/z 50-500 amu at 1 s intervals. Identification of volatile compounds was conducted by comparing the mass spectra with the data system library (National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST 14.0) [26,27]. A series of n-alkanes (C6-C30) was used for the determination of the linear retention index based on the method in van Den Dool and Dec. Kratz [28].…”