Banana Flower-Insect Interaction: Alpha-Pinene as Potential Attractant for the Insect Vector of Banana Blood Disease

Masriany Masriany,Fenny M Dwivany,Tjandra Anggraeni,Rizkita R Esyanti

doi:10.4308/hjb.27.1.8

Masriany Masriany, Fenny M Dwivany + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.4308/hjb.27.1.8

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Abstract

Volatile metabolites are produced by plants for self-defense and as communication mediators with the environment. Terpenes are volatiles emitted as odorant cues for herbivores and microorganisms. This study was aimed to investigate volatile metabolites produced by banana flowers that attract insect vectors of BBD. The volatile metabolites from banana flowers were extracted by headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It was apparent that the concentrations of the metabolite alpha-pinene gradually increased from the first to the the third stage. Comparison of metabolites produced by symptomatic banana male flowers for BBD infection with non-symptomatic ones showed that the concentration of alpha-pinene was higher in symptomatic male flowers. In addition, preference for alpha-pinene was tested on three insect vector species (Rhodesiella bhutanensis, Drosophila sp., and Musca sp.), analyzed by M. Anova p<0.001, F(1.5) =12.539 and Duncan test. Results showed that the insect vectors were mostly attracted to 20 µl volume of alpha-pinene compared to the other volumes and that alpha-pinene functioned as an attractant to these insects. This research is important for the formulation of attractants for insect vectors of BBD to control transmission of banana blood disease.

Highlights

Volatile secondary metabolites produced by plants function as self-defense as well as media for communication between plants and their environment
This study showed that the profiles of volatile metabolites in banana flowers were dominated by monoterpene terpenoids
The dominant volatile metabolite type in the female inflorescence stage was different according to the stage of flower development, there were some volatile compounds that were always present at each stage with different concentrations

Summary

Introduction

Volatile secondary metabolites produced by plants function as self-defense as well as media for communication between plants and their environment. Terpenoids are one type of secondary metabolites that are volatile (Junker and Bluthgen, 2010; Rodriguezcampos et al 2012). Citrus fruits contain volatile substance limonene from the monoterpene group that can affect the interaction between plants, insects, and microorganisms. Nectar feeding insects visit flowers because they are attracted to the aroma of the flowers of the host plant (Bruce et al 2005; Borghi and Fernie 2017). The floral aroma is a complex mixture of several volatile compounds that have different synthesis pathways and that have different effects on the insect’s behavior (Pischerky and Gershenzon 2002). The flower’s release of volatile compounds may act as an attractant, deterrent, or repellent for herbivorous

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