Volatile organic compounds released from cabbage plants infested with wingless green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) attracts more conspecifics.

Background: Plants release a diverse array of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that play a role in interactions with other plants and arthropod herbivores. The potential of using plants that emit either repellent or attractive VOCs to help managing insect populations have been shown. However, the response of the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), a major sucking insect pest worldwide, to VOCs from cabbage and infested with conspecific remains unknown. This study investigated how VOCs released by cabbage infested or uninfested by Myzus persicae influenced host selection in seven different cultivars. and compared under infested and non-infested conditions.

Results: Using headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), we identified 22 VOCs from non-infested cabbage plants and 33 from aphid-infested plants across the seven cabbage cultivars. Infested plants emitted a greater diversity and higher amounts of volatiles, dominated by terpenes and green leaf volatiles. Caryophyllene was the only compound common in both infested and non-infested plants. In olfactometer assays, wingless Myzus persicae showed a significant attraction to conspecific-infested plants with the strongest response to the cultivar QG 80. However, this increased attraction was not consistent across all cultivars, highlighting the need for further studies to understand the ecological implications and potential benefits or drawbacks of this attraction.

Conclusion: Our findings highlight the potential of using VOC-emitting trap crops for the targeted management of Myzus persicae. By identifying key volatiles that attract aphids, this study provides a foundation for developing eco-friendly pest control strategies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.