Reexamination of the Female Sex Pheromone of the Sweet Potato Vine Borer Moth: Identification and Field Evaluation of a Tricosatriene

Abstract

The sweet potato vine borer moth, Omphisa anastomosalis (Pyraloidea: Crambidae), is a serious pest in tropical and subtropical Asia-Pacific regions. In previous work using a population from Okinawa, Japan, (10E,14E)-10,14-hexadecadienal (E10,E14-16:Ald) was identified as the major pheromone component, with hexadecanal, (E)-10-hexadecenal, and (E)-14-hexadecenal as minor components. However, traps baited with the synthetic compounds were less effective at attracting males in the field than those baited with virgin females. While Pyraloidea females usually produce only Type I pheromone components (unsaturated fatty alcohols and their derivatives), the pheromones of some Pyraloidea species have been shown to involve a combination of both Type I and Type II components (unsaturated hydrocarbons and their epoxides). We examined an extract of the pheromone glands of female O. anastomosalis from Vietnam by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and detected (3Z,6Z,9Z)-3,6,9-tricosatriene (Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H) in addition to the compounds identified previously. All four isomers of 10,14-16:Ald were synthesized. A mixture of synthetic E10,E14-16:Ald and Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H in a ratio of 1:0.2-1:2 was attractive to male moths in Vietnam, indicating the strong synergistic effect of the Type II compound. Addition of the other minor pheromone components to the binary blend did not increase the number of male moths captured. Combinations of Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H with the other three geometrical isomers of E10,E14-16:Ald attracted no males, further substantiating the 10E,14E configuration of the natural diene component. E10,E14-16:Ald mixed with other polyunsaturated hydrocarbons showed that mixtures that included a C21 triene, a C22 triene, or a C23 pentaene attracted as many males as did the mixture with Z3,Z6,Z9-23:H. The identification of a highly attractive sex pheromone will help in developing efficient strategies for monitoring and control of O. anastomosalis populations in sweet potato fields.

Female sex pheromone of Athetis lepigone (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Identification and field evaluation

“…Recently, solid-phase GC-Fourier transfer infrared spectrometry (GC-FT/IR) has been utilized for structure determination of sex pheromones, particularly for determination of double-bond configurations (Shibasaki et al, 2013;Zarbin, Fávaro, Vidal, & Rodrigues, 2012). Alternatively, with synthetic pheromone candidates, the doublebond configuration can be determined by the retention times (Rt) in GC-MS analysis (Honda et al, 2015;Yan, Vang, Khanh, Naka, & Ando, 2014). On a capillary GC analysis, the separation of positional isomers of long-chain unsaturated compounds is generally well accomplished by a high-polar column rather than by a low-polar column (Ando et al, 2004).…”

Invertebrate pests and diseases of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas): a review and identification of research priorities for smallholder production

“…It has proven to be important in times of famine (Zhang et al, 2009) and in disaster-recovery settings such as after typhoon flooding has destroyed large areas of rice crops (CIP, 2010;Yan et al, 2014). In sub-Saharan Africa, it is known as the crop that can be relied on when other crops fail .…”

“…Vines with severe damage have weak growth and poor root storage formation. A pheromone has been developed for O. anastomosalis and is undergoing field trials as a lure for monitoring field populations (Wakamura et al, 2010;Yan et al, 2014). Numerous parasitoids have been reported, however variety selection and other cultural methods similar to those employed against sweetpotato weevil are the recommended management for this seasonal pest (Chalfant et al, 1990;Talekar & Pollard, 1991).…”

Hybrid Sex Pheromones of the Hibiscus Flower-bud Borer, Rehimena surusalis

“…Recently so-called hybrid type of pheromone systems consisting of Type I and Type II compounds such as that of R. surusalis, are reported mainly in Crambid and Pyralid species (Cabrera et al 2001;Millar et al 2005;Leal et al 2005;Gibb et al 2007;Miller et al 2010;Löfstedt et al 2012;EI-Sayed et al 2013;Yan et al 2014).…”