Identification of 1-methyloctyl butanoate as the major sex pheromone component from females of the saddle gall midge, Haplodiplosis marginata (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

Identification, synthesis, and field evaluation of components of the female-produced sex pheromone of Helopeltis cinchonae (Hemiptera: Miridae), an emerging pest of tea

BACKGROUND

Helopeltis cinchonae (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a major pest of tea plantations in Asia. Conventional control of pests with pesticides is unsustainable. Therefore, safe and eco-friendly alternatives, such as pheromones, are required to manage the pest.

RESULTS

In gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analysis of whole-body extracts of virgin female H. cinchonae, two compounds elicited electroantennogram (EAG) responses from male antennae. These were identified as hexyl (R)-3-acetoxybutyrate and (R)-1-acetoxy-5-butyroxyhexane using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis compared to synthetic compounds. This is the first study to report 1-acetoxy-5-butyroxyhexane as an insect pheromone component. The synthetic compounds elicited dose-dependent EAG responses from the antennae of male H. cinchonae. In two field trapping experiments, the individual compounds were highly attractive to male H. cinchonae when dispensed from polyethylene vials. However, higher catches were obtained with blends of the two compounds in a 1:10 ratio. The blend of racemic compounds was as attractive as the blend of (R)-enantiomers.

CONCLUSIONS

We reported that 1-acetoxy-5-butyroxyhexane and hexyl 3-acetoxybutyrate are components of the female-produced sex pheromone of H. cinchonae, but further work is required on the blend and loading of pheromone and on trap design to provide an optimized system for monitoring and control of this pest. The results may also facilitate the identification of the pheromones of other Helopeltis species, which are major pests in many crops. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Recent advances in the synthesis of insect pheromones: an overview from 2013 to 2022

Covering: 2013 to June 2022Pheromones are usually produced by insects in sub-microgram amounts, which prevents the elucidation of their structures by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Instead, a synthetic reference material is needed to confirm the structure of the natural compounds. In addition, the provision of synthetic pheromones enables large-scale field trials for the development of environmentally friendly pest management tools. Because of these potential applications in pest control, insect pheromones are attractive targets for the development of synthetic procedures and the synthesis of these intraspecific chemical messengers has been at the core of numerous research efforts in the field of pheromone chemistry. The present review is a quick reference guide for the syntheses of insect pheromones published from 2013 to mid-2022, listing the synthesized compounds and highlighting current methodologies in organic synthesis, such as carbon-carbon coupling reactions, organo-transition metal chemistry including ring-closing olefin metathesis, asymmetric epoxidations and dihydroxylations, and enzymatic reactions.

Components of the Female Sex Pheromone of the Newly-Described Canola Flower Midge, Contarinia brassicola

The canola flower midge, Contarinia brassicola Sinclair (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is a newly-described species that induces galls on canola, Brassica napus Linnaeus and Brassica rapa Linnaeus (Brassicaceae). Identification of the sex pheromone of C. brassicola is essential to developing monitoring tools to elucidate the geographic range and hosts of this new pest, and the extent to which it threatens the $30 billion Canadian canola industry. The aim of this study was to identify and synthesize the female-produced sex pheromone of C. brassicola and demonstrate its effectiveness in attracting males to traps in the field. Two peaks were identified through GC-EAG analysis of female-produced volatiles which elicited electrophysiological responses in male antennae. These peaks were initially characterized through GC–MS and synthesis as 2,7-diacetoxynonane (major component) and 2-acetoxynonane (minor component), and the racemic compounds elicited EAG responses in male antennae. All four stereoisomers of 2,7-diacetoxynonane were synthesized and the naturally-produced compound was shown to be primarily the (2R,7S)-isomer by analysis on an enantioselective GC column, with a small amount of (2R,7R)-2,7-diacetoxynonane also present. The configuration of the minor component could not be determined because of the small amount present, but this was assumed to be (2R)-2-acetoxynonane by comparison with the configuration of the other two components. In field trials, none of the four stereoisomers of 2,7-diacetoxynonane, presented individually or as a racemic mixture, was attractive to male C. brassicola. However, dispensers loaded with a 10 µg:1 µg blend of (2R,7S)- and (2R,7R)-2,7-diacetoxynonane caught large numbers of male C. brassicola and significantly more than other blends tested. The addition of 0.5 µg of (2R)-2-acetoxynonane to this blend further increased the number of males caught. In future work, we will seek to identify the optimum trapping protocol for the application of the pheromone in monitoring and surveillance.

Floral Scents of a Deceptive Plant Are Hyperdiverse and Under Population-Specific Phenotypic Selection

Floral scent is a key mediator in plant-pollinator interactions. However, little is known to what extent intraspecific scent variation is shaped by phenotypic selection, with no information yet in deceptive plants. In this study, we collected inflorescence scent and fruit set of the deceptive moth fly-pollinated Arum maculatum L. (Araceae) from six populations north vs. five populations south of the Alps, accumulating to 233 samples in total, and tested for differences in scent, fruit set, and phenotypic selection on scent across this geographic barrier. We recorded 289 scent compounds, the highest number so far reported in a single plant species. Most of the compounds occurred both north and south of the Alps; however, plants of the different regions emitted different absolute and relative amounts of scent. Fruit set was higher north than south of the Alps, and some, but not all differences in scent could be explained by differential phenotypic selection in northern vs. southern populations. This study is the first to provide evidence that floral scents of a deceptive plant are under phenotypic selection and that phenotypic selection is involved in shaping geographic patterns of floral scent in such plants. The hyperdiverse scent of A. maculatum might result from the imitation of various brood substrates of its pollinators.

Factors affecting trap catch in pheromone-based monitoring of saddle gall midge Haplodiplosis marginata (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

BACKGROUND

The saddle gall midge, Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), is a pest of cereal crops in Europe. Outbreaks are difficult to predict and effective monitoring tools are required to ensure the effectiveness of pest management options. The female sex pheromone (R)-2-nonyl butyrate provides the basis of a highly effective lure for this insect. Here, we demonstrate how the success of this lure can be influenced by parameters such as trap location, lure age, and interference between traps fitted with these lures.

RESULTS

A pheromone lure containing (R)-2-nonyl butyrate attracted male midges for at least 9 weeks under field conditions. Pheromone-baited traps performed best when situated away from field margins and below the height of the crop. Interference between nearby traps was evident at distances <20 m.

CONCLUSION

The results presented here offer new insights into the behavioural responses of male H. marginata to the female sex pheromone and provide practical recommendations for the use of H. marginata pheromone traps in the field. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.