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Bioactive volatiles From Push-Pull companion crops repel Fall Armyworm and attract its parasitoids
Sobhy, Islam S. Tamiru, Amanuel Morales, Xavier Chiriboga Nyagol, Dickens Cheruiyot, Duncan Chidawanyika, Frank Subramanian, Sevgan Midega, Charles A. O. Bruce, Toby J. A. Khan, Zeyaur R.
Sobhy, Islam S.
Tamiru, Amanuel
Morales, Xavier Chiriboga
Nyagol, Dickens
Cheruiyot, Duncan
Chidawanyika, Frank
Subramanian, Sevgan
Midega, Charles A. O.
Bruce, Toby J. A.
Khan, Zeyaur R.
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2022-04-11
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Fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is a serious invasive pest in Africa but “Push-Pull” companion cropping can substantially reduce infestation. Here, we elucidate the underpinning chemical ecology mechanisms. We hypothesized that companion crop volatiles repel herbivores (push) while attracting natural enemies (pull). Headspace volatiles collected from companion plants (Desmodium intortum, Desmodium uncinatum, Brachiaria Mulato II) were used in bioassays and electrophysiological recordings with S. frugiperda and parasitoid wasps. Insect populations, plant damage and herbivore parasitism were assessed in field plots. Coupled GC-electroantennogram (GC-EAG) recordings showed robust responses to certain aromatic and terpenoid volatile compounds. In wind tunnel bioassays, maize volatiles mixed with Desmodium volatiles were less attractive to moths than maize alone. In oviposition bioassays, S. frugiperda laid significantly fewer eggs on maize when Desmodium volatiles were present. Conversely, in an olfactometer bioassay, parasitoid wasps were attracted to the scent of both Desmodium spp. (intercrop) and the Brachiaria border crop. Our data provide evidence of the mechanisms underpinning reduced S. frugiperda infestation in the Push-Pull companion cropping system, i.e., volatiles from companion crops repel S. frugiperda while attracting its parasitoid natural enemies. These findings explain why Push-Pull field plots had fewer S. frugiperda larvae and lower crop damage than monocropped maize.
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Sobhy, I. S., Tamiru, A., Morales, X. C., Nyagol, D., Cheruiyot, D., Chidawanyika, F., Subramanian, S., Midega, C. A. O., Bruce, T J. A., & Khan, Z. R. (2022). Bioactive volatiles From Push-Pull companion crops repel Fall Armyworm and attract its parasitoids. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10, article-number 883020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.883020
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Frontiers Media
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Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
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© 2022 Sobhy, Tamiru, Chiriboga Morales, Nyagol, Cheruiyot, Chidawanyika, Subramanian, Midega, Bruce and Khan.
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2296-701X
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This work was funded by the BBSRC Research grant BB/R020795/1 and EU FAW−IPM project (FOOD/2018/402−634). We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for icipe research by European Union, UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Government of the Republic of Kenya.