Work

Odors from nymphal exuviae attract nymphs and gravid females of the cotton seed bug, Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Hemiptera: Oxycarenidae)

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The cotton seed bug (CSB), Oxycarenus hyalinipennis (Hemiptera: Oxycarenidae), globally emerging pest native to Africa, is a serious insect pest of cotton, posing a significant threat to crop yield and quality. Both nymphs and adults feed on developing cotton seeds. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are key mediators of behavioral responses in heteropteran insects, including CSB, influencing aggregation, mating, and oviposition. In this study, we evaluated the behavioral role of volatiles emitted from nymph exuviae of CSB. Using a combination of Y-tube olfactometer, dual-choice refuge, and dual-choice oviposition bioassays, we assessed the responses of different developmental stages and reproductive statuses to exuviae-associated VOCs. Our results showed that nymphs and mated females were significantly attracted to nymph exuviae VOCs, with nymphs showing >78% and mated females >73% preference in both the Y-tube and refuge assays, whereas unmated females and males (mated and unmated) exhibited no attraction or a slight aversion. Furthermore, gravid females preferentially oviposited on cotton seeds exposed to nymph exuviae VOCs, suggesting that these chemical cues signal suitable oviposition sites, optimizing the chances for the offspring survivorship. This study provides the first evidence that exuviae-associated VOCs in O. hyalinipennis serve as multifunctional semiochemicals, guiding both aggregation and reproductive behavior. These findings offer new insights into the chemical ecology of CSB and highlight potential avenues for semiochemical-based pest management strategies to control CSB population, including the development of attract-and-kill systems for use in integrated pest management (IPM) programs.

Source: Crop Protection

DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2025.107521

Authors: Ahmed M. Saveer, Gundersen-Rindal Dawn, Aijun Zhang

Institutions: Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center

Language: English

Topic: Hemiptera Insect Studies

Subfield: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,360