The plant terpenes DMNT and TMTT function as signaling compounds that attract Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) to maize plants

Abstract

During their co-evolution with herbivorous insects, plants have developed multiple defense strategies that resist pests, such as releasing a blend of herbivory-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) that repel pests or recruit their natural enemies. However, the responses of insects to HIPVs in maize (Zea mays L.) are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that the Asian corn borer (ACB, Ostrinia furnacalis), a major insect pest of maize, shows a preference for maize pre-infested with ACB larvae rather than being repelled by these plants. Through combined transcriptomic and metabolomics analysis of ACB-infested maize seedlings, we identified two substances that explain this behavior: (E)-4,8-dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene (DMNT) and (3E,7E)-4,8,12-trimethyltrideca-1,3,7,11-tetraene (TMTT). DMNT and TMTT attracted ACB larvae, and knocking out the maize genes responsible for their biosynthesis via gene editing impaired this attraction. External supplementation with DMNT/TMTT hampered the larvae's ability to locate pre-infested maize. These findings uncover a novel role for DMNT and TMTT in driving the behavior of ACB. Genetic modification of maize to make it less detectable by ACB might be an effective strategy for developing maize germplasm resistant to ACB and for managing this pest effectively in the field.