Elevated O3 increases volatile organic compounds via jasmonic acid pathway that promote the preference of parasitoid Encarsia formosa for tomato plants.

The elevated atmospheric O3 level may change the interactions of plants and insects, which potentially affects direct and indirect plant defences. However, the underlying mechanism of the impact of elevated O3 on indirect plant defence, namely the efficacy of natural enemies, is unclear. Here we tested a hypothesis that linked the effects of elevated O3 and whitefly herbivory on tomato volatile releases mediated by the jasmonic acid (JA) pathway with the preferences of parasitoid Encarsia formosa for two different tomato genotypes (wild-type (Wt) and JA-deficient genotype (spr2)). The O3 and whitefly herbivory significantly increased the production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including monoterpenes and green leaf volatiles (GLVs). The Wt plants released higher volatile levels, particularly monoterpenes, than did the spr2 plants. In Y-tube tests, limonene and Z-3-hexanol played key roles in the attraction of E. formosa. Moreover, regardless of plant genotype, the two plant genotypes were preferred by adult E. formosa under the O3 and O3+ herbivory treatments. Our results suggest that under elevated O3, the activation of the JA pathway significantly up-regulates the emission rates of volatiles, through which the efficacy of natural enemy might be promoted.