Volatile Organic Compounds from Cassava Plants Confer Resistance to the Whitefly (Goeldi, 1886).
Thyago Fernando Lisboa Ribeiro, Demetrios José de Albuquerque Oliveira, João Gomes da Costa, Miguel Angel Martinez Gutierrez, Eder Jorge de Oliveira, Karlos Antonio Lisboa Ribeiro Junior, Henrique Fonseca Goulart, Alessandro Riffel, Antonio Euzebio Goulart Santana
Author Information
Thyago Fernando Lisboa Ribeiro: Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil.
Demetrios José de Albuquerque Oliveira: Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil. ORCID
João Gomes da Costa: Embrapa Food and Territories, Maceió 57020-050, AL, Brazil.
Miguel Angel Martinez Gutierrez: Natural Product Research Laboratory (LPqRN), Campus of Engineering and Agrarian Science, Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil. ORCID
Eder Jorge de Oliveira: Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas 44380-000, BA, Brazil.
Karlos Antonio Lisboa Ribeiro Junior: Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil.
Henrique Fonseca Goulart: Natural Product Research Laboratory (LPqRN), Campus of Engineering and Agrarian Science, Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil.
Alessandro Riffel: Embrapa Food and Territories, Maceió 57020-050, AL, Brazil.
Antonio Euzebio Goulart Santana: Natural Product Research Laboratory (LPqRN), Campus of Engineering and Agrarian Science, Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), Maceió 57072-900, AL, Brazil. ORCID
Cassava is an essential tuber crop used to produce food, feed, and beverages. Whitefly pests, including (Goeldi, 1886) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), significantly affect cassava-based agroecosystems. Plant odours have been described as potential pest management tools, and the cassava clone M Ecuador 72 has been used by breeders as an essential source of resistance. In this study, we analysed and compared the volatile compounds released by this resistant clone and a susceptible genotype, BRS Jari. Constitutive odours were collected from young plants and analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with chemometric tools. The resistant genotype released numerous compounds with previously described biological activity and substantial amounts of the monoterpene ()-β-ocimene. Whiteflies showed non-preferential behaviour when exposed to volatiles from the resistant genotype but not the susceptible genotype. Furthermore, pure ocimene caused non-preferential behaviour in whiteflies, indicating a role for this compound in repellence. This report provides an example of the intraspecific variation in odour emissions from cassava plants alongside information on odorants that repel whiteflies; these data can be used to devise whitefly management strategies. A better understanding of the genetic variability in cassava odour constituents and emissions under field conditions may accelerate the development of more resistant cassava varieties.
