Pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide induces attractant production in female adults of Bemisia tabaci (MED)

Bemisia tabaci is a polyphagous pest that is distributed worldwide and transmits various viruses, including tomato yellow leaf curl virus, tomato chlorosis virus, pepper whitefly-borne vein yellows virus and so on. We analyzed the transcriptome of B. tabaci and identified pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) gene from female adults. Like other hemipterans, Bta-PBAN harbored four neuropeptides (DH-like peptide, PBAN, β-SGNP, and γ-SGNP). The artificial Bta-PBAN was injected into female adults, and compounds were extracted using hexane. Subsequently, GC–MS analysis was performed to identify putative attractants from the extracted compounds. Totally 22 compounds were up-regulated after artificial Bta-PBAN injection. Among them, 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA) and phytol were selected as putative attractants of B. tabaci adults. 2-EHA and phytol showed the highest attraction rate at 10% and 30% concentration, respectively. However, their attractancy did not depend on the concentration. This research is the first report on identifying attractants derived from B. tabaci. These results suggest that 2-EHA and phytol can be used as attractants for B. tabaci.