Feeding and oviposition by the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) induce direct and systemic changes in volatile compound emissions from potted peach and tree of heaven

The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), has disrupted integrated pest management programs in agroecosystems including tree fruit in North America and several other regions worldwide. While the toolbox for managing the pest continues to grow, it has not yet been determined if feeding or oviposition by H. halys onto orchard or forest trees induces changes in volatiles emitted from trees that could be exploited by foraging egg parasitoids or other insects. The goal of this study was to investigate differences in volatile compound emissions from branches of potted peach and tree of heaven exposed directly and systemically to H. halys feeding and oviposition. Analyses indicate that H. halys feeding and oviposition induced changes in both the blend and specific amounts of volatile compounds emitted from both tree species. Tree of heaven branches directly exposed to H. halys oviposition and feeding emitted nerolidol at a higher rate than those exposed to feeding alone and control trees. Tree of heaven compound leaves systemically exposed to H. halys feeding alone emitted higher rates of (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) than trees exposed to oviposition and feeding or control trees. Conversely, for peach, both branches exposed directly or systemically resulted in a decrease in cis-3-hexenyl acetate when exposed to H. halys oviposition. Such changes in plant volatile compounds, or blends of compounds, have the potential to be used by foraging natural enemies of H. halys.