[The role of volatile organic compounds in plant-insect communication].

Abstract

Insects and flowering plants are the most abundant and diverse multicellular organisms on Earth, accounting for 75% of known species. Their evolution has been largely interdependent since the so-called Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution (100-50 Mya), when the explosion of plant diversity stimulated the evolution of pollinating and herbivorous insects. Plant-insect interactions rely heavily on chemical communication via volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These molecules are synthesised by the secondary metabolism of plants through various pathways and include terpenes, benzenoids and aliphatic compounds. As of today, more than 1,700 of these VOCs have notably been identified in flowers. Plants use these molecules to attract pollinators or repel herbivorous insects. VOCs also act as chemical signals for insects, helping them to find food or egg-laying sites. Chemical communication has thus played an important role in the evolutionary history of insects and flowering plants. Tritrophic interactions are a fascinating example of VOC-driven communication. When plants are attacked by herbivores, they emit herbivore-induced volatiles, such as green leaf volatiles and specific terpenes. These signals attract predators or parasitoids of the herbivores, acting as a chemical distress call. For example, parasitoid wasps can identify plants that have been attacked by their host herbivores, even in the absence of the herbivores themselves, thanks to the plant's odour profile. But herbivore-induced volatiles also affect the herbivores themselves. Female moths, for example, use these olfactory cues to avoid laying eggs on plants that have already been attacked. Insects detect VOCs using highly sensitive odorant receptors on their antennae. Herbivorous insects, such as the model moth species S. littoralis, have receptors specific for floral VOCs and herbivore-induced volatiles. Current research aims to understand how the evolution of these receptors has contributed to the adaptation of insects to plant volatiles. In moths, receptors for benzenoids appear to be more ancient and conserved, whereas receptors for terpenes and aliphatic molecules show more recent diversification in response to plant evolution. Research into plant-insect communication also opens up avenues for sustainable agriculture, as VOCs can be used to attract natural pest predators or deter herbivores, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.