Abstract:Volatile compounds from the female/male syconia of Ficus awkeotsang Makino in the receptive phase and on the fifth day after pollination/parasitization were collected by dynamic headspace adsorption and analyzed by gas chromatography\|mass spectrometry (GC\|MS). The results showed that the volatile compound profiles of figs were complex, consisting of various compositions; the main component was linalool, which significantly attracts wasps. Although the numbers and types of volatile compounds from male and female syconia proved to be different in the receptive phase, more than 70% of the total were common with similar proportions between them, making fig wasps unable to distinguish them according to their volatile compounds, This supports the hypothesis that the volatile compounds of male and female syconia simulate each other in the receptive phase. The volatile compound profiles of figs changed after pollination/parasitization, with some components disappeared or reduced in amounts (e.g. linalool), while some others increased in amount (e.g. benzoic acid, methyl ester) and some new compositions emerged (e.g. 1\|hexanol, 2\|ethyl\|). Generally, the relative content of terpenes decreased, while that of benzenoids and fatty acid derivatives increased. Olfactometer experiments showed that the volatile compounds of female and male syconia in receptive phase significantly attracted pollinating wasps, while those in the phase of 5 days after pollination or parasitization exhibited significant repellent effect on pollinating wasps. Pollinating wasps displayed similar preference to female and male receptive syconia. The changes in quantity and composition of the volatile compounds could reflect the situations of flower development and pollination or oviposition, which would help pollinating wasps to choose the proper hosts. The results would be of great significance on the high\|yield cultivation of F. awkeotsang and the theoretical study on the mechanism of chemical ecology of species\|specific mutualisms between fig and their pollinating wasps.