Host plant‐specific volatiles of Beauveria bassiana ‐colonized plants initiate trophic plant–aphid–predator cascades
María Cuenca‐Medina, Raquel Rodríguez‐Solana, José Manuel Moreno‐Rojas, Rafael Alcalá‐Herrera, Enrique Quesada‐Moraga, Natalia González‐MasAbstract
BACKGROUND
Entomopathogenic ascomycetes (EAs) have efficacy in insect pest control through direct contact and indirectly as plant endophytes. As endophytes, they lead indirectly to pest mortality, enhance plant resilience to stresses, promote plant growth and alter plant volatile emissions. These changes can influence plant interactions with beneficial fauna, such as predators, parasitoids and pollinators. However, variation in endophytic colonization across plant species and EA strains raises questions about cultivar‐specific responses within the same crop species. Here we evaluated the impact of endophytic colonization by the EA Beauveria bassiana on the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of three melon cultivars: ‘Galia’, ‘Futuro’ and ‘Rinconete’.
RESULTS
Beauveria bassiana colonization rates ranged from 73% (Rinconete) to 85% (Galia) and were associated with melon crop‐specific VOCs such as cis ‐3‐hexenal and N,N ‐dimethyldodecanamine. The B. bassiana colonization also triggered cultivar‐specific VOCs including allomones and synomones that play a key role in melon–insect pest interactions which are relevant to crop protection. These included cis ‐3‐hexenol and β ‐phellandrene in Galia, cinnamaldehyde and cinnamyl alcohol in Futuro, and styrene and acetophenone in Rinconete. Differences in VOCs were evaluated in a multitrophic system involving cv. Galia, the aphid Aphis gossypii and the predator Chrysoperla carnea . Olfactometer bioassays revealed a lacewing preference for B. bassiana and aphid‐infested plants. Significant differences in emissions of lacewing attractant VOCs were recorded between B. bassiana ‐colonized plants and controls, independent of aphid infestation.
CONCLUSION
These results reinforce the potential of endophytic B. bassiana ‐related VOCs to be managed within integrated melon protection and production strategies tailored to specific melon varieties. © 2026 The Author(s). Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.