Pheromone Blend Analysis and Cross-Attraction among Populations of Maruca vitrata from Asia and West Africa

Abstract

The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata, is a pantropical pest on leguminous crops. (E,E)-10,12-Hexadecadienal, (E,E)-10,12-hexadecadienol, and (E)-10-hexadecenal were described previously as sex pheromone components for this nocturnal moth. A blend of these components in a ratio of 100:5:5 attracted males in field trapping experiments in Benin, but not in Taiwan, Thailand, or Vietnam. This finding suggests geographic variation in the pheromone blend between Asian and West African populations of M. vitrata. We, therefore, determined the pheromone compositions of single pheromone glands of females from the three Asian regions and from Benin by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Additionally, we compared the responses of males from Taiwan and Benin to calling females and to gland extracts of females from both regions in laboratory no-choice and two-choice assays. Chemical analysis revealed the presence of (E,E)-10,12-hexadecadienal and (E,E)-10,12-hexadecadienol, as well as the absence of (E)-10-hexadecenal in all four populations. The relative amounts of the detected compounds did not vary significantly among the insect populations. The behavioral bioassays showed that Taiwanese and Beninese males were similarly attracted to females from both regions, as well as to their gland extracts. As a result, we did not find geographic variation in the sexual communication system of M. vitrata between West African and Asian insect populations.

Key genes of the sex pheromone biosynthesis pathway in female moths are required for pheromone quality and possibly mediate olfactory plasticity in conspecific male moths in Spodoptera litura

“…These variations could have been caused by various natural factors, including food (Groot et al ., ), age, mating status, and environmental conditions such as photoperiod, temperature (Ono, ; Ding et al ., ) and the use of pesticides (Trimble et al ., ; Wei et al ., ; Shen et al ., ), which are factors with known effects on the female sex pheromone biosynthesis pathway. Accordingly, conspecific males adapt to these biotic and abiotic factors (Jarriault et al ., ; Groot et al ., ; Barrozo et al ., ; Deisig et al ., ; Rabhi et al ., ; Schlager et al ., ), which leads to the modulation of odour‐driven behaviour through the concerted regulation of odour maps (Saveer et al ., ). Our field bioassays of the sites where the female moths were collected demonstrated this olfactory plasticity, as the optimal blend that attracted the male moths varied amongst the geographical regions.…”

Pheromone‐binding proteins based phylogenetics and phylogeography of Maruca spp. from Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America

“…A recent study found only two pheromone compounds in M. vitrata populations from Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Benin (Schläger et al, 2015). A recent study found only two pheromone compounds in M. vitrata populations from Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Benin (Schläger et al, 2015).…”

Survival and life table parameters of soybean pod borer Maruca vitrata (Geyer) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on leguminous crop cultivars

“…Damage to stems, peduncles, flowers and pods leads to significant yield losses of legume species (Chang & Ramasamy ; Patel & Singh ; Schläger et al . ; Singh & Allen ). The grain yield loss due to M. vitrata is estimated to be 10% to 80% in various crops (Sharma ; Singh & Allen ).…”