Background: Whiteflies are major pests in agriculture, causing damage to crops and transmitting plant viruses. Using Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as semiochemicals offers a sustainable approach for combating whiteflies. One such group of compounds, represented by β-ionone, has been found to possess repellent/attractant properties. To further explore the behavioral effects of these compounds on whiteflies, we selected five natural ionone compounds and synthesized six novel analogues to examine the impact of structural variations on whitefly behavior.
Results: Our results demonstrated that β-ionone and its analogues have a significant impact on the behavior of whiteflies. Among them, 0.01% pseudo ionone solution exhibited an attractant effect on whiteflies. Notably, the application of 1% β-ionone and 0.1% β-ionol solution demonstrated a notable repellent effect and oviposition deterrent effect on whitefly. We also found that the novel ionone analogue (±)1A exhibited a strong repellent effect. Both β-ionol and compound (±)1A possess high logP values and low saturation vapor pressures, which contribute to enhanced lipophilicity, making them more likely to penetrate insect antennae and prolong their presence in the air.
Conclusion: The newly discovered ionone analogue (±)1A and β-ionol exhibit improved repellent effects, while pseudo ionone shows an attractant effect. These three compounds hold promising potential for development as novel biological control agents. Our work highlights the efficacy of VOCs as a protection method against whiteflies. These findings indicate that our new technology for a 'push-pull' control method of B. tabaci can offer a novel tool for integrated pest management (IPM). © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Keywords: ionone analogues; oviposition deterrent effect; para‐pheromone; repellent effect; semiochemicals; whiteflies; β‐Ionone.
© 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.