Development of Ginkgo biloba Seed Exocarp Volatile-Based Attractants for Slugs

Identifying key volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that
help slugs
locate host plants can enhance eco-friendly slug management. We used
sequential solvent extraction of Ginkgo biloba seed exocarps and tested the extracts for attractiveness. Slugs
preferred chloroform and ethanol extracts, and, to a lesser extent, n-hexane extracts, whereas ethyl acetate and acetone extracts
were not attractive. The attractiveness of an extract to slugs was
positively correlated with the richness of VOCs. We screened nine
dominant VOCs and found that γ-octalactone and tetradecane were
highly attractive to slugs, even at low concentrations. Butyl caprate
attracted slugs at low to medium concentrations, while pentadecane
was attractive at medium to high concentrations. Ethyl salicylate
and trans-2-undecenal were attractive only at high
concentrations. Four VOC mixtures were highly attractive under both
laboratory and field conditions. These findings indicate that plant
volatile-based baits are effective for trapping large numbers of slugs,
offering valuable insights for the development of botanical attractants.