Hull split and damaged almond volatiles attract male and female navel orangeworm moths.

A blend of volatiles derived from the emissions of almonds at hull split and mechanically damaged almonds was compared to almond meal, the current monitoring standard for the insect pest navel orangeworm (NOW). Field trapping studies were performed to determine the blend's ability to attract adult NOW. The blend comprised racemic 1-octen-3-ol, ethyl benzoate, methyl salicylate, acetophenone, and racemic (E)-conophthorin.

Survey of ex situ fruit and leaf volatiles from several Pistacia cultivars grown in California.

Background: California is the second largest cultivator of pistachios, producing over 375 million pounds and a revenue of $787 million in 2009. Despite the agricultural and economic importance of pistachios, little is known regarding their actual volatile emissions, which are of interest owing to their potential roles as semiochemicals to insect pests.

Results: The ex situ volatile analysis of leaves from Pistacia atlantica, P.

Essential oil yield and composition of Pistacia vera 'Kerman' fruits, peduncles and leaves grown in California.

Background: Pistacia vera 'Kerman' is the predominant pistachio nut cultivar in the United States (California), the world's second largest producer. Despite several reports on the essential oil (EO) content in the genus Pistacia, data on 'Kerman' are limited. The EO content and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions of tree nut orchards are of current interest to researchers investigating insect pests and the potential role of EO and VOCs as semiochemicals.

In situ seasonal study of the volatile production of almonds (Prunus dulcis) var. 'Nonpareil' and relationship to navel orangeworm.

Nonpareil almonds, Prunus dulcis , account for the largest percentage of almond varieties grown in the Central Valley of California. Several studies have investigated the various nonvolatile and volatile components of various plant parts; however, the volatile organic compound (VOC) emission of almonds from a single cultivar has not been studied over the course of a growing season. This aspect is particularly relevant to research concerning the navel orangeworm (NOW), a major insect pest of almonds and other tree nuts.

Strain of Fusarium oxysporum isolated from almond hulls produces styrene and 7-methyl-1,3,5-cyclooctatriene as the principal volatile components.

An isolated strain of Fusarium oxysporum from the hulls of Prunus dulcis (sweet almond) was found to produce relatively large quantities of the hydrocarbons styrene and two isomers of 7-methyl-1,3,5- cyclooctatriene (MCOT). Production of styrene and MCOT was reproduced on a small scale using potato dextrose agar as a growth medium and scaled up using 1 L of inoculated potato dextrose broth. The compounds were trapped as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) onto solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for small scale and Tenax for large scale and then isolated using standard high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods.

In situ volatile collection, analysis, and comparison of three Centaurea species and their relationship to biocontrol with herbivorous insects.

Centaurea solstitialis, commonly known as yellow starthistle, is an invasive plant listed as a noxious weed in the western areas of North America and is the target of classical biological control, which involves release of herbivores known to be specific to this plant. These insects often choose their host plant on the basis of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted. Accordingly, volatile analysis of host plants can provide insight into VOCs that may attract and/or repel the insect.