Abstract: 【Aim】 Papilio polytes is an important pest of citrus plants with its larvae feeding on citrus leaves. This study aims to identify the volatile components from the branches and leaves of citrus that have the electrophysiological activity to the antennae of P. polytes adults, and to investigate the effects of these volatile compounds on the behavioral selection of P. polytes, so as to provide the basic data for further revealing the mechanism of oviposition selection of P. polytes, and the control and utilization of this insect. 【Methods】 The volatiles were collected from the branches and leaves of citrus by dynamic headspace adsorption. The electrophysiologically active compounds to the antennae of P. polytes adults were identified from the volatiles by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and coupled gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection (GC-EAD) techniques. Electroantennogram (EAG) apparatus was further used to test the EAG responses of P. polytes to 12 volatile compounds from the branches and leaves of citrus, including linalool, citral, guaiacol, leaf alcohol, furfuryl alcohol, nonanal, (+)-limonene, (-)-limonene, n-butyl butyrate, 1-nonanol, L-carvone and R-carvone. T-type olfactometer was used to determine the olfactory behavioral responses of P. polytes adults to five volatile compounds eliciting high EAG responses. Oviposition preference test was carried out to study the influence of four volatile compounds with attractive effect on the oviposition preference of female adults of P. polytes. 【Results】 The female and male adults of P. polytes showed concentration-dependent EAG responses to the tested volatile compounds from the branches and leaves of citrus. Thereinto, the EAG response values of the 1- and 5-day-old female adults to leaf alcohol, linalool, citral and nonanal were significantly higher than those of the 1- and 5-day-old male adults, respectively, and the EAG response values of the 1-day-old female and male adults to leaf alcohol, linalool, nonanal, guaiacol, 1-nonanol, L-carvone and R-carvone were higher than those of the 5-day-old female and male adults, respectively. The results of olfactory behavior test showed that at the dose of 100 μg, linalool had a significant attractive effect on both female and male adults of P. polytes, meanwhile, citral only significantly attracted male adults but had no significantly attractive effect on female adults, and guaiacol significantly attracted male adults but significantly repelled female adults. Results of oviposition preference test showed that linalool, citral, nonanal and leaf alcohol had attractiveness on the oviposition behavior of the female adults of P. polytes, among them leaf alcohol and linalool showed significant oviposition attractiveness. 【Conclusion】 The olfactory behavior response and oviposition preference of P. polytes adults are significantly affected by the different volatile components from the branches and leaves of the host citrus, and linalool has the strongest attractive effect and oviposition attractiveness to P. polytes adults, suggesting that linalool may play an important role in the location and host selection of P. polytes adults.

Key words: Papilio polytes, volatiles, GC-EAD, electroantennogram responses, olfactory behavior, oviposition preference