Abstract
In response to an attack by herbivores, plants emit a variety of compounds that may act as semiochemicals. Oviposition-induced volatiles (OIPVs) have been shown to mediate interactions between plants and natural enemies. Here, we investigated the role of OIPVs by Tuta absoluta towards two egg parasitoids, Trichogramma cordubense and T. achaeae. We collected headspace volatiles from tomato plants at 24, 48, and 72 h after oviposition by T. absoluta females and tested the antennographic response of Trichogramma parasitoids to them by means of gas chromatography- electro-antennographical detection (GC-EAD). The response of the parasitoids was also tested in behavioral experiments using a Y-tube olfactometer. Oviposition by T. absoluta females induced qualitative and quantitative changes in the volatiles emitted by tomato plants. Antennae of Trichogramma parasitoids responded to several of the induced volatiles in GC-EAD. T. cordubense females were attracted to tomato plants with T. absoluta eggs 24 h after oviposition. The elucidation of the behavior of egg parasitoids towards OIPVs enhances the development of sustainable management strategies either by selecting species that exploit OIPVs or by manipulating their foraging behavior by utilizing specific OIPVs that are used by parasitoids as a host location.
Highlights
Plants under attack by herbivorous insects produce semiochemicals
The oviposition of herbivorous insects alone or in combination with feeding has been proven to induce the emission of oviposition-induced volatiles (OIPVs) that act as synomones [7,8,9]
We aimed to address in detail the nature of OIPVs emitted by tomato plants and perceived by the antenna of Trichogramma parasitoids
Summary
Plants under attack by herbivorous insects produce semiochemicals. These may directly protect the plant either by their toxic properties or by being repellent to conspecific or heterospecific herbivorous species. They may attract natural enemies antagonistic to the herbivores [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The production of herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that act as foraging cues for parasitoids and predators is known to be triggered by the feeding activity of insects on host plants [1]. Plants benefit by responding to oviposition as they switch on defense mechanisms early before any damage occurs to the plant [10,11]
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