Leveraging volatile organic compound-induced toxic and behavioural effects for potential sustainable management of Ostrinia furnacalis

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis , is a major insect pest of maize, causing significant yield losses across maize-growing regions. The excessive reliance on chemical pesticides for its control has raised environmental and resistance-related concerns, emphasising the need for safer and more sustainable alternatives. This study investigates the efficacy of five synthetic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), methyl salicylate, methyl benzoate, methyl eugenol, methyl chavicol, and allyl isothiocyanate, based on their toxic and behavioural effects on O. furnacalis , as well as their impact on the egg parasitoid Trichogramma ostriniae . All tested VOCs significantly increased mortality in both eggs and larvae of O. furnacalis , with a clear dose-dependent trend. Furthermore, all compounds led to a reduction in oviposition by O. furnacalis females under both choice and no-choice conditions in laboratory and greenhouse assays. Behavioural assays revealed that higher concentrations of certain compounds attracted O. furnacalis females. Additionally, all tested concentrations of the VOCs enhanced the foraging activity of T. ostriniae . These findings suggest that VOCs hold promise as components of an ecologically effective pest management strategy by simultaneously suppressing pest development and enhancing the efficacy of biological control agents.