Analysis of volatiles emitted by potato plants by means of a Colorado beetle electroantennographic detector.

An electroantennographic detector based on the antenna of the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, 1824) was used to investigate volatile organic compounds emitted by injured potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L., 1753). Samples were collected on charcoal traps using the CLSA method. Analyses were performed with a GC-EAD-FID setup as well as a GC-MS system. The experiments revealed that several groups of compounds are perceptible to the Colorado potato beetle. The ability of the Colorado potato beetle to detect green leaf odours (e.g. (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and (E)-2-hexenal), linalool and some terpenes has been noticed before [Visser et al., J. Chem. Ecol. 5 (1979) 13]. In this work the presence of (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, (E)-2-hexenal and linalool in the potato odour could be confirmed. Moreover, beta-myrcene, benzeneethanol, and several sesquiterpenes (e.g. caryophyllene and germacrene-D) were identified. The GC-EAD experiments reveal that apart from the green leaf odours and linalool prominent reactions of the Colorado bettle antenna are induced by benzeneethanol and the sesquiterpene fraction.