Banana Tree Infected with Banana Bunchy Top Virus Attracts Pentalonia nigronervosa Aphids Through Increased Volatile Organic Compounds Emission

Banana plants are affected by various viral diseases, among which the most devastating is the "bunchy top", caused by the Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) and transmitted by the aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel. The effect of BBTV on attraction mechanisms of dessert and plantain banana plants on the vector remains far from elucidated. For that, attractiveness tests were carried out using a two columns olfactometer for apterous aphids, and a flight cage experiment for alate aphids. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted by either healthy or BBTV-infected banana plants were identified using a dynamic extraction system and gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. Behavioral results revealed a stronger attraction of aphids towards infected banana plants (independently from the variety), and towards the plantain variety (independently from the infection status). GC–MS results revealed that infected banana plants produced VOCs of the same mixture as healthy banana plants but in much higher quantities. In addition, VOCs produced by dessert and plantain banana plants were different in nature, and plantains produced higher quantities than dessert banana trees. This work opens interesting opportunities for biological control of P. nigronervosa, for example by luring away the aphid from banana plants through manipulation of olfactory cues.