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Abstract

Licorice of the taxonomic genus Glycyrrhiza is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant. Its large-scale cultivation is threatened by insect pests, including the whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). Our study (1) examined the preference of B. tabaci for G. uralensis Fischer ex de Candolle, G. glabra L., and G. inflata Batalin through caged trials; (2) identified the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by the three Glycyrrhiza species using headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS); and (3) screened the olfactory behavior responses of B. tabaci to the key VOCs identified. The caged host preference trial showed that B. tabaci had a clear preference for G. uralensis over G. inflata and G. glabra. Through HS-GC-MS analysis, we identified 26, 33, and 31 VOCs from G. uralensis, G. glabra, and G. inflata, respectively. (3Z)-Hexen-3-ene-1-yl acetate, trans-3-hexen-1-ol, cis-3-hexen-1-ol, 3-carene, and β-pinene were selected for further olfactory response assays on the basis of variable importance projection values and quantity differences. From these, we learned that cis-3-hexene-1-ol and trans-3-hexene-1-ol, abundant in G. uralensis, attract B. tabaci, whereas 3-carene and β-pinene, abundant in G. inflata, repel B. tabaci. The different VOCs from these three species of licorice may be primary factors affecting the preference for and feeding on cultivated licorice by B. tabaci. Our results will facilitate studies on the potential of using selected VOCs for managing B. tabaci, perhaps in push–pull strategies of their use against the pest.

Keywords: volatile organic compounds, Bemisia tabaci; Glycyrrhiza; host selection
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Contributor Notes

Corresponding author (email: xiushuang_wang@163.com).
Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Key Laboratory of Oasis Town and Mountain Basin System Ecology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, China and the Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Phytomedicine Resource Utilization, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, China.
Received: Feb 25, 2024
Accepted: Apr 21, 2024