Plant Volatiles and Chemical Signaling in Tritrophic Interactions: From Field Ecology to Stored-Product Pest Management

Plants continuously release complex blends of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that mediate dynamic ecological interactions within terrestrial and agricultural ecosystems. In tritrophic systems—encompassing host plants, herbivorous arthropods, and their natural enemies (predators and parasitoids)—these chemical cues function as critical information channels. Plant-emitted volatiles regulate herbivore foraging and oviposition, trigger indirect plant defense mechanisms, and recruit biological control agents. While the ecological foundations of tritrophic chemical ecology are well established in field and laboratory models, translating these signaling mechanisms into practical, eco-friendly pest management remains a vital frontier, especially across post-harvest systems and stored-product protection where chemical residues present heightened safety concerns.This Research Topic aims to bridge fundamental chemical ecology, sensory physiology, and applied entomology. We welcome contributions deciphering how volatile signaling shapes multitrophic networks and how natural semiochemicals, plant secondary metabolites, and essential oils can be leveraged for sustainable pest surveillance and behavioral manipulation in both open-field agroecosystems and closed storage environments.We encourage submissions covering, but not limited to, the following sub-themes:• Ecological Mechanisms of Tritrophic Signaling: The role of constitutive and herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) in mediating predator/parasitoid recruitment, host selection, and plant-plant communication.• Sensory & Behavioral Ecology: Insect antennal and olfactory receptor responses (e.g., GC-EAD, EAG, single-sensillum recording) to volatile blends, including variations driven by sex, age, mating status, and physiological state.• Semiochemicals & Botanical Biopesticides: Laboratory evaluation and field/storage validation of essential oils, pure volatile constituents, and plant secondary metabolites as repellents, deterrents, or attractants.• Stored-Product Protection & Green Management: Novel monitoring tools, push-pull strategies, lure-and-kill systems, and behavioral disruption targeting key stored-grain and warehouse pests.• Methodological Advances in Chemical Ecology: Cutting-edge analytical techniques in volatile collection (headspace sampling, SPME, PTR-MS), chemical profiling, and high-resolution tracking of volatile dissipation and residues.• Evolutionary and Ecological Plasticity: Coevolutionary arms races between plants and insect pests, and the adaptive significance of volatile plasticity under shifting environmental conditions. Topic editors: Szabolcs Szanyi, Edenilson dos Santos Niculau, Pablo Luis Baia Figueiredo Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/86308/plant-volatiles-and-chemical-signaling-in-tritrophic-interactions-from-field-ecology-to-stored-product-pest-management