Involvement of chemosensory proteins in host plant searching in the bird cherry‐oat aphid

Abstract Chemosensory systems are considered to play an important role in host plant selection in herbivorous insects. However, few studies have focused on chemosensory proteins (CSPs) for aphid host‐location mechanisms. The roles of CSPs in searching for different Poaceae species (wheat, barley, triticale, maize and sorghum) were tested in Rhopalosiphum padi , an important cereal pest. The olfactometer assays showed that R. padi responds to plant odors. Seven R. padi CSP genes were identified. Influence of aphid morph, tissue and starvation state on expression patterns of CSPs was evaluated. Expression levels of CSP1 , CSP4 , CSP5 and CSP6 in winged aphids were significantly higher than those in wingless ones. Transcription levels of four genes ( CSP1 , CSP4 , CSP5 and CSP6 ) were relatively higher in the head with antennae, and the four genes tended to be upregulated following starvation. Silencing of three CSP s ( CSP4 , CSP5 and CSP6 ) altered aphid host‐location behavior in response to the five different host plants tested. Three volatile compounds of host plants (octanal, [ E ]‐2‐hexenol and linalool) have significant attraction to winged R. padi according to the four‐arm olfactometer tests. Molecular docking predicted hydrogen bonding sites which played key roles in the binding of CSP4, CSP5 and CSP6 with volatile compounds. Knockdown of CSP4 or CSP5 significantly decreased the staying time of R. padi in the arms with octanal. However, knockdown of CSP6 could not affect the response of R. padi to octanal. These results bring evidence for the involvement of three CSPs in R. padi host‐location behavior.