It is reported that the tea tree ecological cultivation innovation team from the Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has recently made new progress in the study of tea tree volatiles regulating the interactions between Ectropis obliqua and its natural enemies. The research results have been published in the top journal Plant, Cell & Environment.

 

Researchers found that when tea trees are attacked by Ectropis obliqua, they release two volatile monoterpenes, S-linalool and β-ocimene. These two compounds can strongly attract the major parasitic natural enemy of Ectropis obliqua - Pa. hyposidrae. Through transcriptomic screening, researchers identified the synthase genes CsLIS and CsOCS-SCZ for these two signaling molecules. Experiments validated that these two genes are responsible for synthesizing and releasing S-linalool and β-ocimene to lure natural enemies for parasitizing E. obliqua, thereby controlling their damage to tea trees.

 

This study provides new ideas and methods for tea tree resistance breeding and ecological cultivation. It helps to utilize the volatiles of tea trees themselves to regulate the relationships between tea trees, insect pests and their natural enemies, so as to achieve the goal of controlling major insect pests of tea trees. The research achievements are of great significance for promoting ecological cultivation of tea trees and improving their resistance to insects.