PLANT VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN PLANT PLANT AND PLANT–INSECT INTERACTIONS: ECOLOGICAL AND AGRICULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

Abstract

Plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) constitute a sophisticated chemical language that mediates critical ecological interactions between plants and their biotic environment. Up to one-third of assimilated carbon is released by plants in the form of VOCs, underscoring the substantial metabolic investment in these signaling molecules. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the ecological roles of plant VOCs in mediating plant plant communication and plant–insect interactions, and evaluates their potential for sustainable agricultural applications. We examine the biosynthetic pathways, emission dynamics, and perception mechanisms of major VOC classes including terpenoids, phenylpropanoids/benzenoids, fatty acid derivatives, and amino acid derivatives. The review explores herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) as signals that attract natural enemies, repel herbivores, and prime neighboring plants for enhanced defense. We also address recent advances in understanding volatile-mediated plant–plant interactions, including kin recognition, defense priming, and competitive signaling. The dual ecological functions of plant volatiles—simultaneously repelling insect herbivores while attracting their natural enemies are examined in detail. Finally, we discuss translational applications in integrated pest management, including push–pull strategies, synthetic biology approaches for engineering desirable VOC profiles, and the challenges of implementing VOC-based technologies in diverse agroecosystems.