Unsaturated Cuticular Hydrocarbon Components of the Sex Pheromone of Eggplant Fruit Borer, Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

• Published in: Journal of chemical ecology 2018-08, Vol.44 (7-8), p.631-636
• Main Authors: Van Vang, Le, Yan, Qi, Nghia, Nguyen Thi Ngoc, Khanh, Chau Nguyen Quoc, Ando, Tetsu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Acetic acid; Agriculture; Alcohols; Biochemistry; Biological Microscopy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Borers; Butterflies & moths; Chromatography; Cuticular hydrocarbons; Ecology; Electroantennograms; Entomology; Gas chromatography; Hydrocarbons; Leucinodes orbonalis; Life Sciences; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Pest control; Pests; Pheromones; Polyunsaturated hydrocarbons; Sex; Sex pheromone; Software; Thorax; Traps; Trienes; Unsaturated hydrocarbons
• ISSN: 0098-0331; 1573-1561
• DOI: 10.1007/s10886-018-0985-6

Leucinodes orbonalis is one of the most damaging insect pests affecting eggplant in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. While ( E )-11-hexadecenyl acetate (E11–16:OAc) and its alcohol, ( E )-11-hexadecenol (E11–16:OH), have been identified as major and minor sex pheromone components, respectively, few males were attracted to a blend of these compounds in Vietnamese fields. In order to utilize synthetic pheromone of L. orbonalis as a tool for sustainable pest management programs, we reexamined the pheromone of this species in order to search for other minor components. Gas chromatography-electroantennogram detection and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of abdominal tip extract revealed the presence of two electroantennogram-active compounds, E11–16:OAc and (3 Z ,6 Z ,9 Z )-3,6,9-tricosatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9–23:H) in a ratio of 100:2. An extract of the abdomen and thorax showed an additional electroantennogram-active component, (3 Z ,6 Z ,9 Z )-3,6,9-docosatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9–22:H), with the three compounds (E11–16:OAc, Z3,Z6,Z9–23:H and Z3,Z6,Z9–22:H) being present in a ratio of 100:45:1, indicating that the trienes were mainly present on the cuticular surface. In the field, traps baited with E11–16:OAc and the C 23 triene, in a mix of 10:1, caught more male moths than traps baited with the acetate alone. A field evaluation of other polyunsaturated hydrocarbons showed that the C 22 triene found in body extract also increased catches when added to the acetate, but no other hydrocarbons did. In contrast, to other studies with this moth, the addition of E11–16:OH to E11–16:OAc plus the C 22 or C 23 triene, resulted in decreased trap catches.