Aphid-plant interactions and the implication of olfactory cues

Aphids are small insects with a limited mobility range, and therefore the importance of olfactory cues affecting aphid behaviour is under debate. There are nevertheless indications that olfactory cues originating from plants can be repulsive or attractive for certain aphids and these effects can vary between winged and wingless morphs. These results have caught attention in recent years, because such cues could be used to develop alternative pest management strategies.

In different aphid species, such as the pea aphid, the rosy apple aphid and the green peach aphid, we studied behavioural responses of females to entire plants and individual volatile organic compounds emitted naturally by host- or non-host plants, or elicited by plant defence stimulators.