Background: The use of sex pheromones for mating disruption of moth pests of crops is increasing worldwide. Efforts are under way to augment the efficiency and reliability of this control method by adding molecules derived from host plants to the sex attractants in dispensers.
Results: We show how attraction of the European grapevine moth, Lobesia botrana Den. & Schiff., and the codling moth, Cydia pomonella L., males to underdosed levels of their sex pheromones is increased by adding heptane or octane over a range of release rates. Pheromone-alkane mixtures enhance male recruitment by up to 30%, reaching levels induced by calling females, and shorten the flight time to the sex attractant by a factor of 2.
Conclusion: The findings show the promise of using short-chain alkanes as pheromone synergists for mating disruption of insect pests of food crops. Alkane-pheromone combinations are expected to increase the competitiveness of dispensers with females, and to reduce the amount of pheromone needed for the control of these pests.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ps.4061 | DOI Listing |
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc
January 2025
National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 67-103 Donat Street, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Babes-Bolyai University, 1 M. Kogalniceanu Street, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address:
Alkenyl pheromones are a class of insect sex pheromones that are characterized by the presence of one or more double bonds, which can be either in the E(trans) or Z(cis) configuration. This structural variation is essential in mating, as it influences reproductive behavior and provides a potential method for insect control. As a base for rapid and in-situ screening of synthetic pheromones or pheromone-based products, this study explores the potential of Raman spectroscopy to differentiate between the two geometrical isomers, E(trans) and Z(cis), of the alkenyl pheromones.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsect Sci
January 2025
Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
Many animals display physiological and behavioral activities limited to specific times of the day. Certain insects exhibit clear daily rhythms in their mating activities that are regulated by an internal biological clock. However, the specific genetic mechanisms underlying this regulation remain largely unexplored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Exp Biol
January 2025
Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Est Créteil, INRAE, CNRS, IRD, Institute for Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris, iEES Paris, F-75005, Paris, France.
As in other animals, insects can modulate their odor-guided behaviors, especially sexual behavior, according to environmental and physiological factors such as the individual's nutritional state. This behavioral flexibility results from modifications of the olfactory pathways under the control of hormones. Most studies have focused on the central modulation of the olfactory system and less attention has been paid to the peripheral olfactory system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPest Manag Sci
January 2025
College of Plant Protection, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, China.
Background: As sex pheromones are environmentally friendly and specific, they are often used to monitor and control oriental fruit moths (OFMs). Currently, non-biodegradable polymers are commonly employed as carriers to prepare controlled sex pheromone release systems for plant protection. Electrospinning is a relatively simple technique for preparing biodegradable nanofibers that allows for the controlled release of sex pheromones.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsects
December 2024
Department of Sustainable Crop Production (DiProVeS), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Piacenza, 29122 Piacenza, Italy.
Background: Mating disruption (MD) is a worthwhile technique for the control of and in central Europe and Mediterranean areas. MD efficacy is affected by the pheromone release (PR), which in turn is influenced by environmental conditions.
Methods: The effect of weather conditions on PR was evaluated under four different fields in northern Italy.
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