Methyl isonicotinate induces increased walking and take‐off behaviour in western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis

Abstract

Timely detection of western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is important to help prevent economic damage to crops. Coloured traps are commonly used for thrips monitoring and their efficacy can be markedly improved with the addition of semiochemicals such as methyl isonicotinate (MI). However, the behavioural response of thrips to these compounds is poorly understood. In leaf/petal disc laboratory experiments the effect of MI on adult female WFT was examined with respect to walking and take‐off behaviour. Clean air or air with MI was blown over the leaf/petal discs at an angle of 30° via a glass pipette connected to a wash bottle containing a cotton dental roll with or without a defined amount of MI. At airspeeds of 0.6–1.2 m s−1 and at doses of 1, 10, 50, 100, and 1000 μl (equivalent to indicative concentrations of 1.7, 4.5, 7.3, 8.8, and 14.9 ng MI l−1 air blown over the leaf discs), WFT spent a greater proportion of time walking on chrysanthemum leaf discs in the presence of MI than the non‐attractive thrips compound β‐caryophyllene or clean air. Western flower thrips showed a dose‐dependent take‐off response to the thrips attractant MI, but not to β‐caryophyllene (virtually no take‐off). At 100 μl of MI (8.8 ng l−1 air), WFT spent a greater proportion of time walking on host plant tissue than in clean air, depending on plant disc substrates. Furthermore, WFT took off more often from plant discs exposed to an air current containing MI than from those exposed to clean air. Western flower thrips exposed to MI took off at a similar rate from chrysanthemum leaves, chrysanthemum flower petals, and sweet pepper leaves, but much less readily from bean leaves. The results show that MI stimulates walking and take‐off behaviour for adult female WFT under these experimental conditions and these responses are dose‐dependent and mediated by the host plant. These results are placed in the context of previous research on the behavioural response of thrips to semiochemicals and their implications for thrips pest management are discussed.

Spatial separation of semiochemical Lurem‐TR and entomopathogenic fungi to enhance their compatibility and infectivity in an autoinoculation system for thrips management

“…The present study has shown that M. sjostedti responds to methyl‐isonicotinate, which is the active ingredient of Lurem‐TR, and confirms a previous report by Muvea et al The positive correlation observed with thrips attraction could be explained by frequent visits or longer stays of M. sjostedti in the device. Methyl‐isonicotinate has been reported to stimulate walking and take‐off behaviour in Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) female adults . This may explain the finding of Niassy et al , who observed that conidial acquisition by F. occidentalis was greater in a Lurem‐TR‐baited device than in a device without Lurem‐TR.…”

Semiochemicals Associated with the Western Flower Thrips Attraction: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Consequently, the second period was mainly focused on the effectiveness of MIN in commercial field conditions and different crops [ 23 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 31 , 32 , 43 , 45 , 47 , 48 , 67 , 68 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 ]. Regarding new naturally occurring attractant compounds, some promising candidates were identified, such as ( S )-(−)-verbenone, 3-hexen-1-ol, 2-phenylethyl acetate, nonanal, (±)-theaspirane and β-caryophyllene [ 43 , 91 , 92 , 93 ], and oviposition repellents, such as methyl salicylate, thymol, and carvacrol compounds [ 89 , 94 , 95 , 96 ].…”

“…In contrast, by 2022, this percentage increased to 4.8% of the total research volume in the literature on the semiochemicals associated with WFT (WoS on October 2022, n = 2104 articles). In addition to the low volume of research, it mainly converged in the study of a particular group of 4-pyridyl carbonyl compounds reported as attractants [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ] and the same sticky-trap types, usually square and blue [ 18 , 30 , 31 , 32 ].…”

Nieuwe mogelijkheden voor de bestrijding van trips in de sierteelt onder glas

“…• De plantenstof methyl isonicotinaat is een attractant voor trips (van Tol et al 2012) (Davidson et al 2015), en is door Koppert op de markt gebracht als Lurem®.…”

“…Gek genoeg kunnen dat soms dezelfde stoffen zijn. Zo is bekend dat de lokstof methyl isonycotinate (Lurem) ook het vlieggedrag van trips activeert (van Tol et al 2012). In deze studie werden sterke verschillen gevonden tussen het opvliegen van trips vanaf verschillende gewassoorten, waarbij trips sneller wegvloog vanaf bladponsjes van chrysant of paprika dan vanaf bladponsjes van een bonenplant.…”