Attractancy Potential of Terpinen-4-ol against Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and Its Synergistic Attractant Effects Evaluation.

Bactrocera dorsalis is a major fruit and vegetable pest with limited effective attractants. Our previous work identified Melaleuca quinquenervia essential oil (MQEO) as a strong attractant. Guided by an olfactory transcriptome- and molecular docking-informed screening strategy inspired by reverse chemical ecology principles, we identified terpinen-4-ol (T4O) as the key active component. Laboratory assays showed that T4O strongly attracts sexually mature adults of both sexes, with enhanced responses in mated and resource-deprived flies. T4O also induces oviposition preference and increases short-term egg-laying activity. Importantly, in both laboratory and field trials, T4O synergized methyl eugenol (ME) at a 10:1 ratio, enhancing trap efficacy while reducing the required ME dose and successfully capturing females, addressing a key limitation of conventional male-targeting ME lures. These findings position T4O as a promising eco-friendly synergist for improved B. dorsalis management.