Identification and Evaluation of Volatile Compounds from Solanaceae Plants Attractive to Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Tomato pinworm is a globally invasive pest of Solanaceae crops with rapidly evolving insecticide resistance. The “push–pull” method represents a potentially effective and environmentally friendly control tactic. Herein, four EAD-active volatile organic compounds (VOCs), cis -3-hexen-1-ol, β-phellandrene, nonanal, and 4-ethylbenzaldehyde, were identified from the volatiles of tomato, eggplant, and pepper. All the compounds elicited strong electrophysiological and attractive behavior in both female and male adults. Semifield trapping assays demonstrated that cis -3-hexen-1-ol, β-phellandrene, and nonanal significantly caught adults, with the most pronounced efficacy for β-phellandrene. The blend (same proportions as those in the headspace volatile) demonstrated an exceptionally strong trapping effect and exhibited superior performance compared with any compound tested individually under complex field conditions. These compounds were confirmed as key olfactory cues mediating host selection in Tuta absoluta, with the synthetic blend exhibiting particularly strong attractant properties, thus serving as an effective “pull” component in field-deployable “push–pull” strategy targeting this pest.