Exploitation of volatile organic compounds for rice field insect-pest management: current status and future prospects

Insect pests are major biotic factors that cause significant damage to rice crops, posing a major challenge to global rice production. Synthetic pesticides are the most effective and reliable technique for pest management. However, their high cost, non-biodegradability, and adverse effects on human and environmental health have driven the search for more sustainable, eco-friendly, and economically viable alternatives. Recently, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), both plant-derived or synthetically made, have emerged as a promising tool for insect pest management in diverse agricultural practices. Rice plants continuously release VOCs that facilitate tritrophic interactions among the plants, their herbivores, and the natural enemies of these herbivores, highlighting their ecological importance. VOCs are being explored as semiochemicals in pest management strategies in various crops, including rice. Although applications of VOCs remain in the laboratory stage, they hold great promise for future field implementation. This review highlights the role of rice VOCs in herbivore-natural enemy interactions and explores the factors regulating their release. It provides a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements, ongoing challenges, and prospects in using VOCs for rice pest management. Additionally, the review emphasizes the integration of VOCs with precision agriculture and genetic engineering approaches along with advanced monitoring technologies, to develop sustainable and effective pest management practices in rice agroecosystems.