Terpenes from herbivore?induced tomato plant volatiles attract <scp> <i>Nesidiocoris tenuis</i> </scp> (Hemiptera: Miridae), a predator of major tomato pests

BACKGROUND Biological control plays a key role in reducing crop damage by Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) and Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), which cause huge yield losses tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The mirid predator Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) preys heavily on these pests, with satisfying levels greenhouses. Although N. is known to be attracted volatiles of plants infested T. whitefly, little about the specific attractive compounds effect prey density response. RESULTS Y-tube olfactometer bioassays revealed that attraction was positively correlated infestation, unlike infestation. also larval frass, but not honeydew or sex pheromone. Among herbivore-induced plant (HIPVs) characterised 20 larvae, monoterpenes ?-pinene, ?-phellandrene, 3-carene, ?-phellandrene ?-ocimene, whereas (E)-?-caryophyllene found repel predator. In dose–response bioassays, five-component blend attractants elicited relatively low predator, removal from enhanced resulting four-component blend, suggesting synergism among four monoterpenes. CONCLUSION These findings suggest 3-carene ?-ocimene could used as kairomone-based lure recruit for biological vaporariorum.