The role of tetradecane in the identification of host plants by the pest bugs Apolygus lucorum and Adelphocoris suturalis

Abstract Apolygus lucorum and Adelphocoris suturalis are considered serious pests to many cultures in China. Safe alternatives are needed to manage these mirid pests. The current study tested the olfactory responses of mirid bugs to cotton leaves, Phaseolus vulgaris pods, and its ethanol extracts. The results showed that P. vulgaris pods extracts were attractive to mirid bugs, predominantly female A. lucorum. Seven compounds from volatiles of the extract were selected to measure electrophysiological (EAG) responses of mirid bugs. Tetradecane, 2-propyl-1-pentanol, and dodecanal showed strong EAG responses in mirid bugs and, thus, used for field experiments. The results exhibited that the tetradecane showed a significantly higher attraction than other attractants with 30.33 ± 2.19 mirid bugs trapped during seven days. Lab trials showed a significant female mirid bug attraction towards tetradecane. The selected-response rates were above 60%, and it was the most attractive to females A. lucorum at the concentration of 1.5 mg/mL. Among seven tetradecane derivatives, tetradecane and tetradecanoic acid were the best attractants to A. lucorum and A. suturalis at specific concentrations. GCMS detection showed that tetradecane was present in the volatiles of 10 common hosts, and the difference of relative content was significant. The presence of tetradecane could modulate the responses of mirid bugs towards host plants suggesting that tetradecane plays a vital role in the olfactory selection of mirid bugs, while host recognition of these pests depends on many kinds of sensory cues