Abstract
Yeast produced semiochemicals are increasingly used in pest management programs, however, little is known on which yeasts populate cherry fruits and no information is available on the volatiles that modify the behaviour of cherry pests including Rhagoletis cerasi flies. Eighty-two compounds were extracted from the headspaces of eleven yeast species associated with sweet and sour cherry fruits by solid phase micro extraction. Esters and alcohols were the most abundant volatiles released by yeasts. The multidimensional scaling analysis revealed that the odour blends emitted by yeasts were species-specific. Pichia kudriavzevii and Hanseniaspora uvarum yeasts released the most similar volatile blends while P. kluyveri and Cryptococcus wieringae yeasts produced the most different blends. Combined gas chromatographic and electroantennographic detection methods showed that 3-methybutyl acetate, 3-methylbutyl propionate, 2-methyl-1-butanol, and 3-methyl-1-butanol elicited antennal responses of both R. cerasi fruit fly sexes. The two-choice olfactometric tests revealed that R. cerasi flies preferred 3-methylbutyl propionate and 3-methyl-1-butanol but avoided 3-methybutyl acetate. Yeast-produced behaviourally active compounds indicated a potential for use in pest monitoring and control of R. cerasi fruit flies, an economically important pest of cherry fruits.
Highlights
Carposphere is a specific habitat populated by bacterial and fungal microorganisms including yeasts [1,2]
The purpose of the study was to characterize volatile blends emitted by cultivable yeasts populating the fruit surface of sweet and sour cherries and to determine semiochemicals that modify the behaviour of R. cerasi fruit flies, the most important pest of cherry fruits
The esters represented by compounds were accounted as the most abounded group of volatiles released by yeasts followed by 18 alcohols, nine compounds bearing aromatic moiety, eight ketones, six fatty acids, four terpenoids, three lactones, and one each of isothiocyanate, furane, and sulphide functional group was detected once (Table 1)
Summary
Carposphere is a specific habitat populated by bacterial and fungal microorganisms including yeasts [1,2]. Berries and fruits are rich in carbohydrates and often bear the most diverse microbiome in a phyllosphere [2]. Carposphere microbiota are determined by a variety of factors such as environmental conditions, host genotype, berry developmental stage, and interactions with other organisms sharing a habitat [3,4,5,6,7]. Microorganisms associated with fruits and berries interact with insects that use these habitats for feeding and oviposition. Yeasts provide essential nutrients missing in sugar-rich berries that insects cannot produce while insects transfer yeasts from one substrate to another [1,9,10]. In addition to berry and fruit-related odours, yeast-produced volatiles are used by insects to acquire information about habitat quality and host choice [11,12,13,14]. The behaviour modifying effect of yeast volatiles has the potential for use in integrated pest management programs increasing the efficiency of attractive lures and serving as repellents in the push–pull pest control strategy [15]
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