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Multitrophic and Multilevel Interactions Mediated by Volatile Organic Compounds

Dongsheng Niu,Linbo Xu,Kejian Lin

Published 2024 in Insects

ABSTRACT

Simple Summary Plants and their insect neighbors engage in a silent dialogue that is vital for ecological health, a phenomenon often invisible to the naked eye. Scientists have unveiled a fascinating aspect of this dialogue: plants communicate using a unique language of scents known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These aromatic messages serve as a defense system, recruiting allies in the form of beneficial insects or broadcasting alerts to fellow flora about impending threats such as pests. Our investigation delves into the mechanics of these aromatic signals across diverse habitats, from the dense canopies of forests to the cultivated expanses of farmlands. We discovered that these VOCs are not just background noise but are instrumental in maintaining ecological harmony. They hold the potential to revolutionize our approach to crop protection, offering eco-friendly alternatives to conventional pesticides. This research is groundbreaking, as it deciphers nature’s olfactory code, paving the way for harnessing VOCs to foster environmental sustainability and food security. By mimicking the botanical strategies observed in plants, we can devise sustainable solutions to agricultural challenges, steering us towards a greener and more resilient future. Abstract Plants communicate with insects and other organisms through the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Using Boolean operators, we retrieved 1093 articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases, selecting 406 for detailed analysis, with approximately 50% focusing on herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). This review examines the roles of VOCs in direct and indirect plant defense mechanisms and their influence on complex communication networks within ecosystems. Our research reveals significant functions of VOCs in four principal areas: activating insect antennae, attracting adult insects, attracting female insects, and attracting natural enemies. Terpenoids like α-pinene and β-myrcene significantly alter pest behavior by attracting natural enemies. β-ocimene and β-caryophyllene are crucial in regulating aboveground and belowground interactions. We emphasize the potential applications of VOCs in agriculture for developing novel pest control strategies and enhancing crop resilience. Additionally, we identify research gaps and propose new directions, stressing the importance of comparative studies across ecosystems and long-term observational research to better understand VOCs dynamics. In conclusion, we provide insights into the multifunctionality of VOCs in natural ecosystems, their potential for future research and applications, and their role in advancing sustainable agricultural and ecological practices, contributing to a deeper understanding of their mechanisms and ecological functions.

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