Abstract: In order to identify plantoriginated attractants for forecasting and controlling of the yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis
 in chestnut orchards, volatiles emitted from involucres of four chestnut cultivars (Huaihuang, Huaijiu, Yanhong and Shisheng) widely planted in Beijing area, were collected and analyzed using headspace trapping and GC-MS techniques, during the young fruit period and mature fruit period respectively. The results showed that 10 volatile compounds were emitted from the four chestnut cultivars during the young fruit period, and 5 out of the 10 volatiles were shared in the four cultivars, including α-pinene, camphene, β-thujene, β-pinene, and (E)-2-butenoic acid,2-(methylenecyclopropyl) prop-2-yl ester. Cedrol and 3-carene were only detected in Yanhong cultivar, and D-limonene was only emitted by Huaijiu, Yanhong, and Shisheng cultivars. β-ocimene and farnesol were specifically released by Huaihuang and Huaijiu cultivars. In addition, the kinds and quantity of volatiles during the mature fruit period were both significantly lower than during the young fruit period. The results indicated that the volatiles from involucres of chestnut differed in different growth periods, and that some volatiles were shared by different chestnut cultivars while the others were cultivarspecific.

Key words: Medicago sativa, seed germination, physiological characteristics, osmotic potential