For rational control of Plutella xylostella, 23 target compounds from the natural product α-pinene were designed and synthesized, and the electroantennography and behavioral responses of adult P. xylostella affected by target compounds were evaluated. At a concentration of 500 μg/mL in the Y-tube olfactometer, compound 4a2 had a lure rate of 74.26%, while compound 4a11 had a repellent rate of 94.44%. Oviposition experiments showed that compound 4a2 attracted egg-laying, whereas compound 4a11 deterred it with effects varying by concentration. Real-time quantitative PCR verified that compounds 4a2 and 4a11 significantly altered the gene expression of the PxylGOBPs proteins. Competitive fluorescence binding assays further demonstrated the effective binding of compound 4a11 to PxylGOBPs. The binding modes of compounds 4a2 and 4a11 with PxylGOBP1 and PxylGOBP2 were analyzed by molecular docking. This study illuminated on the derivation of volatile natural products for biological pest control using a "push-pull" strategy.
Li et al. (Wed,) studied this question.