Leaf cuticular wax plays important role in host selection, oviposition, and feeding of phytophagous insects. Thus, the role of cuticular wax of sesame (Sesamum indicum) cultivars (Savitri and Nirmala) in host selection of 3 generalist pests (Spilosoma obliqua Walker, Helicoverpa armigera Hübner, and Spodoptera litura Fabricius) was investigated under laboratory conditions. The GC-MS and GC-FID analyses of leaf surface waxes of both cultivars indicated the presence of 14 n-alkanes from n-C₉ to n-C₄₄ and 12 free fatty acids (FFAs) from C_9:0 to C_20:0. The most predominant n-alkane and FFA of the cultivars were n-C₂₆ (94.3 ± 7.27 μg leaf⁻¹) and C_18:1 (110.8 ± 10.07 μg leaf⁻¹), respectively present in Savitri cultivar. The generalists used visual (color and shape), olfactory (odorous n-alkanes and FFAs), tactile (surface ultra-structure), and gustatory (cuticular wax) cues in a synergistic manner for their host selection through attraction (adults and larvae) followed by oviposition (adults) and feeding (larvae) on studied cultivars (Savitri > Nirmala). Their olfactory responses were maximum towards 2 leaf equivalent amount, whereas oviposition and feeding preference were maximum towards 4 leaf equivalent amount of the combined synthetic (4 n-alkanes (n-C₁₆, n-C₂₂, n-C₂₄, n-C₂₆) + 3 FFAs (C_12:0, C_14:0, C_18:1)) mixture-treated intact leaf of cultivar Savitri. This finding can suggest that the synthetic blend (4 n-alkanes + 3 FFAs) in leaf equivalent amount (396.6 ± 4.13 μg leaf⁻¹) or more from cultivar Savitri can be used as lures to develop baited trap. In addition, the cultivar Nirmala can be used as a resistant cultivar in the ecological pest management (EPM) framework of these target pest species.

叶表皮蜡在宿主选择、产卵和食草性昆虫的摄食中起着重要作用。因此，在实验室条件下研究了芝麻 ( Sesamum indicum ) 品种（Savitri 和 Nirmala）的表皮蜡在 3 种通用害虫（Spilosomaobliqua Walker、Helicoverpa armigera Hübner 和Spodoptera litura Fabricius）的宿主选择中的作用。两个品种的叶表面蜡的 GC-MS 和 GC-FID 分析表明存在从 nC ₉到 nC ₄₄的 14 种正烷烃和从 C _9:0到 C _{20:0 的}12 种游离脂肪酸 (FFA) 。品种中最主要的正构烷烃和 FFA 是 nC ₂₆(94.3 ± 7.27 μg 叶^-1 ) 和 C _18:1 (110.8 ± 10.07 μg 叶^-1 )，分别存在于 Savitri 栽培品种中。通才以协同方式使用视觉（颜色和形状）、嗅觉（有气味的正烷烃和 FFA）、触觉（表面超结构）和味觉（表皮蜡）线索通过吸引力（成虫和幼虫）选择宿主其次是在研究的栽培品种（Savitri > Nirmala）上产卵（成虫）和取食（幼虫）。它们的嗅觉反应对 2 叶当量的量最大，而产卵和取食偏好对 4 叶等量的组合合成物（4 正构烷烃 (nC ₁₆ , nC ₂₂ , nC ₂₄ , nC _{26 )}) + 3 个 FFA (C _12:0 , C _14:0 , C _18:1 )) 混合物处理的栽培品种 Savitri 的完整叶。这一发现可以表明，来自栽培品种 Savitri 的叶当量（396.6 ± 4.13 μg 叶^-1）或更多的合成混合物（4 种正构烷烃 + 3 种 FFA）可用作诱饵来开发诱饵陷阱。此外，栽培品种 Nirmala 可在这些目标害虫物种的生态害虫管理 (EPM) 框架中用作抗性栽培品种。