Exploiting volatile organic compounds in crop protection: A systematic review of 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone

The 21st century has brought new challenges to the agri-food industry due to population growth, global warming, and greater public awareness of environmental issues. Ensuring global food security for future generations is crucial. However, pests, weeds, and diseases still significantly contribute to crop losses, and the availability of effective conventional synthetic pesticides is decreasing. To address this, new and diverse pest management tools are needed. One pest management tool showing potential for invertebrate pest management is the exploitation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—in particular, the compounds 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone. This review aims to explore the extent to which 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone show potential in the future management of invertebrate crop and animal pests. A significant increase in the rate of publication of literature on the use of 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone in crop protection since 2018 is identified by this review, therefore, showing the potential importance of these compounds for use in future pest management. This review also identifies key interactions between naturally occurring biosynthesised 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone, and a range of invertebrate targets. Many of these interactions with key crop pests are sourced from the taxonomic families Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, and Trichomaceae. However, analysis of the practical application of these sources in an integrated pest management programme identifies clear limitations with the use of naturally occurring biosynthesised 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone. Rather, future focus should be placed on the development and exploitation of synthesised nature identical 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone for use as a biopesticide product. Overall, 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanone show potential for exploitation in future crop protection, being abundant in source and diversity of invertebrate interactions. However, their use as a naturally occurring biosynthesised chemical is likely not practical for direct implementation in crop protection. Rather, focus should be placed on the development and exploitation of synthesised nature identical variants of these compounds for use as a biopesticide.