Onion aphid (Neotoxoptera formosana) attractants, in the headspace of Allium fistulosum and A. tuberosum leaves

Abstract:  Attractancy of Allium fistulosum L. and Allium tuberosum Rottl. to adult apterae of the onion aphid, Neotoxoptera formosana (Takahashi), an oligophagous aphid pest of Allium crops, was investigated with a Y-tube olfactometer. The aphids were significantly attracted to both A. fistulosum and A. tuberosum . The headspace components of both plants were extracted with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The main volatile components of A. fistulosum were dipropyl disulphide (relative contents: 67%), 1-propenyl propyl disulphide (23%) and dipropyl trisulphide (6%). In the headspace of A. tuberosum , diallyl disulphide was detected as the main component (58%). Attractancy of dipropyl disulphide, dipropyl trisulphide and diallyl disulphide to the aphids was examined with the Y-tube olfactometer. The aphids were significantly attracted to dipropyl trisulphide and diallyl disulphide at a concentration of 0.01%. Dipropyl disulphide did not significantly attract the aphids at any concentrations tested. It was revealed that attractancy of A. fistulosum and A. tuberosum was caused by dipropyl trisulphide and diallyl disulphide, respectively. The findings suggest that N. formosana uses these sulphur compounds, characteristic components of Allium plants, as olfactory cues to find the host plants.