Bixa orellana L., known as annatto, is a plant in the Bixaceae family, widely used for its seeds rich in carotenoids, such as bixin (a natural dye) and geranylgeraniol (GGOH), an isoprenoid of interest for health and agriculture. This study evaluated the efficiency of annatto oil extraction using hydrodistillation, Soxhlet solvent extraction (conventional methods), and ultrasound-assisted extraction (modern method). Acetone, ethyl acetate, and hexane were used as extractor solvents. Gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses revealed GGOH as the main compound in all methods, with concentration variations determined using 1-octadecanol as an external standard. Hydrodistillation showed the lowest yield (0.06%) but was more straightforward and sustainable. Extraction with organic solvents (Soxhlet and ultrasound) resulted in higher GGOH yields (1.35-2.01%), with hexane being the most efficient (0.250 mg mL–1). Soxhlet extraction with hexane is ideal for large quantities, while hydrodistillation is preferable for medicinal uses due to the absence of organic solvents.

Cassava is an essential tuber crop used to produce food, feed, and beverages. Whitefly pests, including Aleurothrixus aepim (Goeldi, 1886) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), significantly affect cassava-based agroecosystems. Plant odours have been described as potential pest management tools, and the cassava clone M Ecuador 72 has been used by breeders as an essential source of resistance. In this study, we analysed and compared the volatile compounds released by this resistant clone and a susceptible genotype, BRS Jari. Constitutive odours were collected from young plants and analysed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry combined with chemometric tools. The resistant genotype released numerous compounds with previously described biological activity and substantial amounts of the monoterpene (E)-β-ocimene. Whiteflies showed non-preferential behaviour when exposed to volatiles from the resistant genotype but not the susceptible genotype. Furthermore, pure ocimene caused non-preferential behaviour in whiteflies, indicating a role for this compound in repellence. This report provides an example of the intraspecific variation in odour emissions from cassava plants alongside information on odorants that repel whiteflies; these data can be used to devise whitefly management strategies. A better understanding of the genetic variability in cassava odour constituents and emissions under field conditions may accelerate the development of more resistant cassava varieties.