Rational design of β-ionone-based derivative with enhanced insect OBP affinity and field persistence for precision pest control

• β-Ionone acts as a universal ligand across diverse insect OBPs. • Novel derivatives can be designed based on the structure of β-ionone. • Derivative IA01 shows potential in trapping mirid bug and protecting natural enemies. • β-Ionone provide promising lead scaffolds for sustainable pest management. Odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) mediate insect olfactory processes by facilitating the transport of volatile compounds to odorant receptors. Searching and designing efficient ligands ​that bind strongly​ to these OBPs can help us better utilize chemical ecological strategies for the regulation and management of insects, especially in agricultural ecosystems. In the present study, a meta-analysis employing a random effects model revealed that β-ionone exhibits high binding affinity across diverse OBPs in different insect species, with most Ki values ranging from 0.63 to 25 μM. Based on the flexible structure of β-ionone, we designed and synthesized a novel derivative IA01 through Claisen-Schmidt condensation with p-anisaldehyde. It was found that IA01 demonstrated superior binding affinities toward two AlucOBPs from Apolygus lucorum , as evidenced by fluorescence competition assays and molecular docking analyses. Electroantennogram recordings indicated that IA01 elicited more stable and sustained olfactory responses compared to β-ionone and p-anisaldehyde, an effect maintained over a seven-day period. In addition, indoor behavioral experiments showed that IA01 exhibited a strong repellent effect against Chrysopa pallens , a predatory natural enemy. Field trials further validated the enhanced attractant efficacy of IA01, which consistently captured higher numbers of A. lucorum adults.We propose that the newly designed derivative based on β-ionone has potential application value in trapping mirid bug and protecting natural enemies. Utilizing such broad-spectrum ligands as lead skeletons to develop novel attractants or repellents targeting a wide range of pests will bring us a brand new pest control technology strategy.