Greenhouse pest control takes a new push-pull approach
Citation
Greenhouse pest control takes a new push-pull approach
Plain language summary
Plants naturally emit volatile compounds, principally through the flowers, but also roots and leaves. Volatile compounds are known to attract pollinators as well as enemies of the plant pests such as predators and parasitoids. Other compounds have been recognized for their repellant activity, thus reducing feeding damage to plants that emit higher concentrations. Our research has demonstrated how the feeding and oviposition habits of insect pests are affected by volatiles produced by the over-expression of carotenoid catabolism genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Increased levels of specific volatiles, apocarotenoids, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, increased the preference for transgenic Arabidopsis by the cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni Hübner moth as a site for oviposition. When tomato plants over-expressed the same gene the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) was attracted, but certain transgenic lines were preferred less for oviposition by cabbage looper. We will discuss whether the transgenic plants producing repellant and attractive volatiles can be applied in a “push-pull” strategy to protect greenhouse tomato plants by minimizing oviposition on the crop. The “push-pull” strategy employs one plant that releases volatiles to repel or “push” the pest insect away from the adjacent crop plant, while a second plant more attractive to the pest insect than the crop, acts as the “pull”. As part of the strategy, the “pull” plants or “trap crops” will be “intercropped” around the crop to reduce the pest pressure. In Canada, there is an increasing move toward providing year-round greenhouse vegetable supply which underlines the importance of this research.
Abstract
Plants naturally emit volatile compounds, principally through the flowers, but also roots and leaves. Volatile compounds are known to attract pollinators as well as enemies of the plant pests such as predators and parasitoids. Other compounds have been recognized for their repellant activity, thus reducing feeding damage to plants that emit higher concentrations. Our research has demonstrated how the feeding and oviposition habits of insect pests are affected by volatiles produced by the over-expression of carotenoid catabolism genes in Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Increased levels of specific volatiles, apocarotenoids, monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes, increased the preference for transgenic Arabidopsis by the cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni Hübner moth as a site for oviposition. When tomato plants over-expressed the same gene the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) was attracted, but certain transgenic lines were preferred less for oviposition by cabbage looper. We will discuss whether the transgenic plants producing repellant and attractive volatiles can be applied in a “push-pull” strategy to protect greenhouse tomato plants by minimizing oviposition on the crop. The “push-pull” strategy employs one plant that releases volatiles to repel or “push” the pest insect away from the adjacent crop plant, while a second plant more attractive to the pest insect than the crop, acts as the “pull”. As part of the strategy, the “pull” plants or “trap crops” will be “intercropped” around the crop to reduce the pest pressure. In Canada, there is an increasing move toward providing year-round greenhouse vegetable supply which underlines the importance of this research.