Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2023, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (7): 954-966.DOI: 10.17521/cjpe.2022.0121

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Specific volatiles of Ficus plants determine host preference behavior of Gynaikothrips uzeli

HUANG Peng1, LIN Yong-Wen2, ZHANG Jie1, YAO Jin-Ai1, YU De-Yi1,*()   

  1. 1Fujian Key Laboratory for Monitoring and Integrated Management of Crop Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Fujian Engineering Research Center for Green Pest Management, Fuzhou 350013, China
    2Zhangzhou Institute of Technology, Zhangzhou, Fujian 363000, China
  • Received:2022-04-06 Accepted:2022-09-28 Online:2023-07-20 Published:2023-07-21
  • Contact: *YU De-Yi(yudy_2004@126.com)
  • Supported by:
    The Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest of Fujian Province(2018R1025-2);The “5511” Collaborative Innovation Project of High-quality Agricultural Development and Surpassment in Fujian Province(XTCXGC2021011);The “5511” Collaborative Innovation Project of High-quality Agricultural Development and Surpassment in Fujian Province(XTCXGC2021017)

Abstract:

Aims Gynaikothrips uzeli is a major quarantine pest attacking Ficusplants. To seek effective and sustainable methods to control the pest, it is necessary to assess its host preference among different Ficusspecies and understand the critical factors of this behavior.

Methods In this study, the behavioral preference of G. uzeli to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of three potted Ficusspecies were evaluated. The VOCs released by the three Ficus species were analyzed using GC-MS, and the major compnents were used to test the pest preference. Based on the transcriptome analyses, we inferred the key genes that affect the biosyntheses of those VOCs.

Important findings Behavioral preference of G. uzeli to the VOCs of the three Ficusspecies is F. benjamina > F. microcarpa > F. elastica.The behavioral preference of G. uzeliwas significantly positively related to the relative content of β-cyclocitral, β-maaliene, β-copaene, and significantly negatively related to the relative content of trans-α-bergamotene. A significantly positive relationship was found between the relative content of β-cyclocitral and the expression of gene Fm.09G0004550 (CCD4). Moreover, the relative content of β-maaliene was significantly positively related to the expression of gene Fm.newGene1857(STPS) and Fm.newGene6827 (VIT_19s0014g04930). The relative content of β-copaene was significantly positively related to the expression of gene Fm.11G0000860 (LUP2) and Fm.newGene1857 (STPS). The relative content of trans-α-bergamotene was significantly positively associated with the expression of gene Fm.13G0003820 (LUS1) and Fm.newGene489 (GgbAS1). The above findings suggest that four terpenes (β-cyclocitral, β-maaliene, β-copaene and trans-α-bergamotene) determine the behavioral preference of G. uzeli to Ficus plants, and their biosyntheses might be mainly affected by six terpene synthase genes (Fm.09G0004550, Fm.11G0000860, Fm.newGene1857, Fm.newGene6827, Fm.13G0003820 and Fm.newGene489).

Key words: Ficus, terpene volatiles, Gynaikothrips uzeli, behavioral preference, terpene synthase genes