Volatiles from Momordica charantia L. fruits and leaves attract Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett)

Abstract BACKGROUND The melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), is a significant pest of cucurbit crops, and its ovipositing females cause direct damage to fruits. However, existing management strategies primarily target the male population, leaving a critical gap in female‐specific control measures. Plant‐derived volatiles are environmentally sustainable alternatives for developing behavior‐based pest‐management tools. RESULTS The volatiles of the preferred host plant, bitter gourd ( Momordica charantia L.), were characterized qualitatively and semiquantitatively using headspace solid‐phase microextraction gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HS‐SPME/GC–MS) under targeted sampling conditions. A total of 48 fruit and 44 leaf volatiles were identified, with 28 compounds common to both tissues. Electroantennography (EAG) screenings revealed dose‐dependent female antennal responses to 13 compounds, six of which (terpinen‐4‐ol, trans ‐verbenol, α‐terpineol, 1‐decanal, β‐caryophyllene and perillaldehyde) exhibited consistent female‐specific attraction in behavioral assays. A synthetic six‐component blend (each at 10 μg μL −1 in a 1:1:1:1:1:1 ratio) demonstrated a significantly stronger attraction than any individual compound did. Further optimization yielded an optimized four‐component formulation comprising terpinen‐4‐ol, perillaldehyde, trans ‐verbenol and β‐caryophyllene (each at 10 μg μL −1 in a 1:1:1:1 ratio), which effectively attracted both male and female Z. cucurbitae . CONCLUSION This plant‐based volatile blend offers a targeted candidate attractant with strong potential for subsequent field development for sustainable management of Z. cucurbitae . The six‐component blend exhibited potent female‐specific attraction, addressing the current control gap for female melon flies, whereas the optimized four‐component formulation achieved effective dual‐sex attraction and provided a practical tool for integration into monitoring and mass‐trapping programs. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.