Aggregation pheromone of the agave weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus

Abstract

The agave weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the most important insect pest of wild and cultivated agaves in the world. Combined gas chromatography‐electroantennography (GC‐EAD) analysis of male volatile extracts showed that four peaks elicited antennal responses from males and females. The peaks were identified by GC‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) as 2‐methyl‐4‐heptanol (1), 2‐methyl‐4‐octanol (2), 2‐methyl‐4‐heptanone (3), and 2‐methyl‐4‐octanone (4). Electroantennogram (EAG) recordings of both sexes to 0.01‐, 0.1‐, 1‐, and 10‐µg stimulus load of synthetic compounds showed that the dose of the tested compounds and weevil sex significantly influenced the antennal response of S. acupunctatus. However, there was no sexual dimorphism in the antennal responses to the four synthetic compounds evaluated because the EAG profiles revealed no interaction between doses by sex. Antennae of S. acupunctatus were most sensitive to compounds 2 and 4, reaching the threshold at a 0.01‐µg stimulus load. Weevil antennae were less sensitive to compounds 1 and 3, and the threshold response to these compounds was 0.1 µg. Behavioural evaluation of the synthetic compounds showed them to be attractive to both males and females in a Y‐tube olfactometer. Field experiments confirmed the laboratory results, showing that all components, singly or in blends, were attractive to the weevils. In general, traps baited with the quaternary blend of compounds 1–4 captured significantly more weevils than traps baited with males. However, compounds 3 and 4 were sufficient to obtain captures equivalent to those by the quaternary blend. The potential use of the aggregation pheromone in the development of a mass‐trapping programme as a viable pest management alternative for S. acupunctatus is discussed.

Feromônios de agregação em curculionidae (insecta: coleoptera) e sua implicação taxonômica

“…68 Testes em laboratório e em campo demonstraram que machos dessa espécie produzem um feromônio de agregação que atrai ambos os sexos e que essa atração aumenta na presença da planta hospedeira. 69 Machos e fêmeas de S. acupunctatus foram atraídos para os compostos 17a e 18a (Figura 3), os quais são componentes do feromônio de agregação de M. hemipterus. 69 Recentemente análises em CG-EAG revelaram quatro compostos produzidos pelos machos, os álcoois 17a e 18a e as cetonas correspondentes 23 e 24.…”

“…69 Machos e fêmeas de S. acupunctatus foram atraídos para os compostos 17a e 18a (Figura 3), os quais são componentes do feromônio de agregação de M. hemipterus. 69 Recentemente análises em CG-EAG revelaram quatro compostos produzidos pelos machos, os álcoois 17a e 18a e as cetonas correspondentes 23 e 24.…”

Automated Remote Insect Surveillance at a Global Scale and the Internet of Things

“…The aggregation pheromone 4-methyl-5-nonanol or ferrugineol with ethyl acetate, was mixed with a combination of food lures specialized to attract R. ferrugineus, capturing adults of both sexes [28]. Though it did not occur in our experiments, it is known that another species very similar to R. ferrugineus, the sisal weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) may be attracted to the specific pheromone and enter into the trap [29]. This insect is an important pest of agave, yucca, and various other plants of the families Agavaceae and Dracenaceae [30].…”

Effectiveness of Odor-Baited Trap Trees for Plum Curculio (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Monitoring in Commercial Apple Orchards in the Northeast

“…Remarkably, the Hawaiian population of this species produced only 1 of the 3 compounds as its pheromone (Giblin-Davis et al 2000). Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal males release 4 attractive compounds (Ruiz-Montiel et al 2008). However, the major pheromone component is sufficient to get captures comparable with those obtained with the quaternary blend (Rodríguez-Rebollar et al 2012).…”