Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), is a serious pest of horticultural and agronomic crops. Using plant-released semiochemicals to control thrips is one eco-friendly control method for their management. In this study, to develop repellents and an attractant–repellent push–pull strategy for F. occidentalis, we investigated the effects of α-pinene and eucalyptol on their oviposition on pepper plants in cage experiments and evaluated the control efficiency of repellents on them in pepper fields. The control efficacy of a combination of aggregation pheromone attractants and plant volatile repellents was also investigated. The results showed that spraying eucalyptol (at the dose of 200 μL) and α-pinene (at the dose of 100 μL) significantly reduced the oviposition behavior of F. occidentalis in cage experiments. Field results showed that the application of eucalyptol and α-pinene could significantly reduce the population of F. occidentalis in the field, with the highest control efficacy of 80.96% and 66.66%, respectively. Furthermore, a push–pull strategy combining thrips-repellent eucalyptol and aggregation pheromone lures was an effective strategy to suppress a population of thrips in the field, with the highest control efficacy of 81.95%. The repellents and push–pull strategy developed here provided an effective method for the eco-friendly control of F. occidentalis.

Bamboo compost is a renewable organic material that can replace peat and enhance plant resistance to insect pests. However, its combined effects on tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.) growth, defense responses, and underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, bamboo compost was incorporated into growing substrates at varying proportions (5–30%) to assess its impact on tomato seedling growth, physiological and biochemical traits, and the survival of the South American tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were further integrated to characterize molecular changes associated with enhanced resistance. The results showed that 10% bamboo compost increased plant height and stem diameter by 25.91% and 10.19%, respectively, while higher proportions inhibited seedling growth. All bamboo compost treatments significantly reduced Tuta absoluta. larval survival, with the lowest day-10 survival (16%) observed under BC−20%. Multi-omics analyses identified 1553 and 2591 DEGs and 292 and 591 DAMs in the BC−10% vs. CK and BC−20% vs. CK comparisons, respectively; 290 differentially expressed transcription factor-encoding genes were identified across both comparisons. BC−20% showed broader defense-related transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming, including MAPK and phytohormone signaling, phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis, and cutin and wax formation, but with reduced growth. Overall, BC−10% represents a suitable practical addition rate for promoting tomato seedling growth in peat-reduced cultivation substrates.

The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta, is a major pest affecting economically important crops like tomatoes, causing significant global economic losses and exhibiting increasing resistance to pesticides. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is an environmentally friendly control method that is sustainable for both ecosystems and human health. This study used age-stage, two-sex life tables, transcriptomics, and bioinformatics to analyze how irradiation affects the reproductive capacity of male T. absoluta. Compared to the control group, the irradiated offspring showed reduced total lifespan, pre-adult survival rate, net reproductive rate, and intrinsic growth rate. Transcriptomic analysis identified 232 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that irradiation impacted biological processes in male adults related to key biomolecules, hormone metabolism and synthesis, and immune responses. Of the 14 selected genes validated through RT-qPCR, 13 were identified as potential regulators of male reproductive capacity, offering possible targets for controlling T. absoluta using inherited sterility-based SIT strategies. Overall, this study provides a theoretical basis for applying SIT in field control and identifies potential genetic targets for managing T. absoluta populations through a genetic sterile insect technique.