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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Royal Society Open Science

Responses of Glossina pallidipes tsetse fly to geosmin, 2-pentanol and carbon dioxide odour cues

  • Benson Wachira1,2
  • Robert Opiro3
  • Paul Mireji2,4
4 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Chemistry, Pwani University 1 , Kilifi, Kenya
  2. 2Biotechnology Research Institute - Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization 2 , Muguga, Kenya
  3. 3Department of Biology, Gulu University 3 , Gulu, Uganda
  4. 4Center for Virus Research - Kenya Medical Research Institute 4 , Nairobi, Kenya
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Abstract

Tsetse flies exhibit varying host preferences when seeking blood meals. Volatile organic compounds from preferred hosts such as buffalo and cattle have been used to develop the 3-n-propylphenol, 1-octen-3-ol, p-cresol and acetone (POCA) attractant blend, but its attraction is only about 25% of that of natural hosts, necessitating improved attractants. This study evaluated laboratory and field behavioural responses of Glossina pallidipes to geosmin, hexanal, 2-pentanol and carbon dioxide (CO2), compounds known to elicit strong responses in other insects. Laboratory two-choice olfactometer assays showed dose-dependent attraction to all tested compounds, with significantly more flies choosing treatment arms than control arms (p < 0.05). Field responses to geosmin and CO2 were validated using a randomized Latin square design, in which traps baited with either odour captured significantly more tsetse flies than unbaited control traps (p < 0.05). These findings identify geosmin, 2-pentanol and CO2 as promising odour cues for enhancing POCA attractant blends for G. pallidipes. Incorporating these compounds into existing odour-bait systems could improve the effectiveness of environmentally friendly and cost-effective tsetse control strategies.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{wachira2026responses,
  title = {{Responses of Glossina pallidipes tsetse fly to geosmin, 2-pentanol and carbon dioxide odour cues}},
  author = {Benson Wachira and Robert Opiro and Paul Mireji},
  journal = {Royal Society Open Science},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1098/rsos.260488},
  url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/10/260488/483922/Responses-of-Glossina-pallidipes-tsetse-fly-to},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Responses of Glossina pallidipes tsetse fly to geosmin, 2-pentanol and carbon dioxide odour cues
AU  - Benson Wachira
AU  - Robert Opiro
AU  - Paul Mireji
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/07
JO  - Royal Society Open Science
DO  - 10.1098/rsos.260488
UR  - https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/10/260488/483922/Responses-of-Glossina-pallidipes-tsetse-fly-to
AB  - Tsetse flies exhibit varying host preferences when seeking blood meals. Volatile organic compounds from preferred hosts such as buffalo and cattle have been used to develop the 3-n-propylphenol, 1-octen-3-ol, p-cresol and acetone (POCA) attractant blend, but its attraction is only about 25% of that of natural hosts, necessitating improved attractants. This study evaluated laboratory and field behavioural responses of Glossina pallidipes to geosmin, hexanal, 2-pentanol and carbon dioxide (CO2), compounds known to elicit strong responses in other insects. Laboratory two-choice olfactometer assays showed dose-dependent attraction to all tested compounds, with significantly more flies choosing treatment arms than control arms (p < 0.05). Field responses to geosmin and CO2 were validated using a randomized Latin square design, in which traps baited with either odour captured significantly more tsetse flies than unbaited control traps (p < 0.05). These findings identify geosmin, 2-pentanol and CO2 as promising odour cues for enhancing POCA attractant blends for G. pallidipes. Incorporating these compounds into existing odour-bait systems could improve the effectiveness of environmentally friendly and cost-effective tsetse control strategies.
SN  - 2054-5703
ER  -