John M. Smoot

Sulfur volatiles from Allium spp. affect Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), response to citrus volatiles

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, vectors Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las) and Candidatus Liberibacter americanus (Lam), the presumed causal agents of huanglongbing. D. citri generally rely on olfaction and vision for detection of host cues. Plant volatiles from Allium spp. (Alliaceae) are known to repel several arthropod species. We examined the effect of garlic chive (A. tuberosum Rottl.) and wild onion (A. canadense L.) volatiles on D. citri behaviour in a two-port divided T-olfactometer. Citrus leaf volatiles attracted significantly more D. citri adults than clean air. Volatiles from crushed garlic chive leaves, garlic chive essential oil, garlic chive plants, wild onion plants and crushed wild onion leaves all repelled D. citri adults when compared with clean air, with the first two being significantly more repellent than the others. However, when tested with citrus volatiles, only crushed garlic chive leaves and garlic chive essential oil were repellent, and crushed wild onions leaves were not. Analysis of the headspace components of crushed garlic chive leaves and garlic chive essential oil by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that monosulfides, disulfides and trisulfides were the primary sulfur volatiles present. In general, trisulfides (dimethyl trisulfide) inhibited the response of D. citri to citrus volatiles more than disulfides (dimethyl disulfide, allyl methyl disulfide, allyl disulfide). Monosulfides did not affect the behaviour of D. citri adults. A blend of dimethyl trisulfide and dimethyl disulfide in 1:1 ratio showed an additive effect on inhibition of D. citri response to citrus volatiles. The plant volatiles from Allium spp. did not affect the behaviour of the D. citri ecto-parasitoid Tamarixia radiata (Waterston). Thus, Allium spp. or the tri- and di-sulphides could be integrated into management programmes for D. citri without affecting natural enemies.

Sulfur Volatiles in Guava (Psidium guajava L.) Leaves: Possible Defense Mechanism

Volatiles from crushed and intact guava leaves (Psidium guajava L.) were collected using static headspace SPME and determined using GC-PFPD, pulsed flame photometric detection, and GC-MS. Leaf volatiles from four common citrus culitvars were examined similarly to determine the potential component(s) responsible for guavas protective effect against the Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama), which is the insect vector of Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening disease. Seven sulfur volatiles were detected: hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide (DMS), dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), methional, and dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS). Identifications were based on matching linear retention index values on ZB-5, DB-Wax, and PLOT columns and MS spectra in the case of DMDS and DMS. DMDS is an insect toxic, defensive volatile produced only by wounded guava but not citrus leaves and, thus, may be the component responsible for the protective effect of guava against the HLB vector. DMDS is formed immediately after crushing, becoming the major headspace volatile within 10 min. Forty-seven additional leaf volatiles were identified from LRI and MS data in the crushed guava leaf headspace.

A comparison of citrus blossom volatiles

The objective of this study was to identify the major volatiles and their relative concentrations in intact grapefruit, sweet orange, sour orange, mandarin, lemon, lime and pummelo blossoms. Volatiles from freshly picked blossoms were collected and concentrated using static headspace solid-phase microextraction and then separated and identified using GC-MS. Seventy volatiles were detected, 66 identified, of which 29 were identified for the first time in citrus blossoms. Major volatiles consisted of linalool, beta-myrcene, alpha-myrcene, limonene, (E)-ocimene, methyl anthranilate and indole. In terms of total volatiles: pummelo >> grapefruit approximately = sweet orange > sour orange approximately = mandarin approximately = lemon-lime > Volkamer lemon > Kaffir lime. Principal component analysis of blossom volatiles demonstrated that there were three widely separated, tightly clustered groups which consisted of mandarin, lemon-lime and pummelo. Other cultivars of possible mixed parentage produced non-overlapping values within the boundaries of these three clustered groups. The first two Eigenvectors explained 83% of the total variance. Linalool, limonene and myrcene had the highest loading values. Those cultivars requiring insect pollination such as pummelo produced highest levels of total volatiles as well as highest levels of known honeybee stimulants such as 1-hexanol and linalool.

Repellency and toxicity of plant-based essential oils and their constituents against Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, vectors Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (Las), the presumed causal agent of huanglongbing. D. citri generally rely on olfaction and vision for detection of host cues. Certain plant volatiles and plant‐derived essential oil products are known to repel several arthropod species and are considered minimum‐risk pesticides. We examined the effect of five essential oils and eight chemicals previously reported to have activity against various insect species on D. citri behaviour in a two‐port divided T‐olfactometer in an effort to identify repellents for further consideration and testing as crop protectants for D. citi. Volatiles from essential oils of coriander, lavender, rose, thyme, tea tree oil and 2‐undecanone, a major constituent of rue oil repelled D. citri adults compared with clean air. Also, coriander, lavender, rose and thyme oil inhibited the response of D. citri when co‐presented with citrus leaves. Volatiles from eugenol, eucalyptol, carvacrol, β‐caryophyllene, α‐pinene, α‐gurjunene and linalool did not repel D. citri adults compared with clean air. In an effort to isolate the repellents and toxicants from effective essential oils, the headspace components of coriander and lavender oil were analysed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry and revealed that α‐pinene and linalool were the primary volatiles present in coriander oil while linalool and linalyl acetate were the primary volatiles present in lavender oil. Coriander, lavender and garlic chive oils were also highly toxic to D. citri when evaluated as contact action insecticides using a topical application technique. The LC50 values for these three oils ranged between 0.16 and 0.25 μg/D. citri adult while LC50 values for rose and thyme oil ranged between 2.45 and 17.26 μg/insect.

Guava leaf volatiles and dimethyl disulphide inhibit response of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama to host plant volatiles

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, vectors the causal pathogen of huanglongbing (HLB), which is likely the most important disease affecting worldwide citrus production. Interplanting citrus with guava, Psidium guajava L., was reported to reduce D. citri populations and incidence of HLB. We describe a series of investigations on the response of D. citri to citrus volatiles with and without guava leaf volatiles and to synthetic dimethyl disulphide (DMDS), in laboratory olfactometers and in the field. Volatiles from guava leaves significantly inhibited attraction of D. citri to normally attractive host‐plant (citrus) volatiles. A similar level of inhibition was recorded when synthetic DMDS was co‐released with volatiles from citrus leaves. In addition, the volatile mixture emanating from a combination of intact citrus and intact guava leaves induced a knock‐down effect on adult D. citri. Compounds similar to DMDS including dipropyl disulphide, ethyl‐1‐propyl disulphide, and diethyl disulphide did not affect the behavioural response of D. citri to attractive citrus host plant volatiles. Head‐space volatile analyses were conducted to compare sulphur volatile profiles of citrus and guava, used in our behavioural assays, with a gas chromatography‐pulsed flame photometric detector. DMDS, produced by wounded guava in our olfactometer assays, was not produced by similarly wounded citrus. The airborne concentration of DMDS that induced the behavioural effect in the 4‐choice olfactometer was 107 pg/ml. In a small plot field experiment, populations of D. citri were significantly reduced by deployment of synthetic DMDS from polyethylene vials compared with untreated control plots. Our results verify that guava leaf volatiles inhibit the response of D. citri to citrus host plant volatiles and suggest that the induced compound, DMDS, may be partially responsible for this effect. Also, we show that field deployment of DMDS reduces densities of D. citri and thus may have potential as a novel control strategy.

Malathion Bait Consumption and Mortality of Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract We examined the consumption and oral toxicity of malathion bait to Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a laboratory setting. Based on the malathion concentration in the bait and quantity of bait consumed, the malathion dose increased as bait malathion content increased. Mortality was about the same comparing 100 and 200,000 ppm malathion, but percentage of feeding was up to 7 times less for 200,000 ppm malathion. Approximately 10% of males and females survived in these tests, suggesting that the laboratory population of A. suspensa contains individuals resistant to malathion and malathion manufacture by-products. Solid phase microextraction collection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of volatile compounds suggest that malathion formulation contaminants were responsible for the mortality of flies that had no demonstrable contact with the malathion bait.