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

Abstract

The saddle gall midge, Haplodiplosis marginata (von Roser) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), has undergone a resurgence recently as a pest of cereals in Belgium and other European countries. An effective monitoring tool of saddle gall midge flights is needed to understand the enigmatic population dynamics of this pest, and to design an integrated management strategy. Therefore, volatile compounds emitted by females (alkan-2-ols and alk-2-yl butanoates) were identified, and the chirality of the emitted esters was determined to be the R absolute configuration. In field-trapping experiments, racemic non-2-yl butanoate attracted substantial numbers of H. marginata males. Thus, this compound will be useful in baited traps for monitoring seasonal flight patterns, and improving integrated management of the saddle gall midge in agricultural systems.

Mini‐review: recent advances in the identification and application of sex pheromones of gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae)

“…Therefore, after comparing the volatiles produced by saddle gall midge females with those of synthetic reference standards, the pheromone was finally identified as (R)-2-nonyl butyrate. 16 Analysis of gland extracts of the female blackcurrant leaf midge (Dasineura tetensi) identified the major compound as (8Z)-2,12diacetoxy-8-heptadecene. 10 In the field, the racemate of the stereoisomer (2S,12R,8Z)-2,12-diacetoxy-8-heptadecene was attractive to male blackcurrant leaf midges, whereas the racemate of the major component (2R,13R,8Z)-2,13-diacetoxy-8-heptadecenene of pear leaf midge (Dasineura pyri) was not.…”

A review of the biology, ecology and control of saddle gall midge,Haplodiplosis marginata(Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) with a focus on phenological forecasting

“…Models based on simple degree day calculations offer a means for farmers to predict the date of emergence of this pest if they have had past evidence of infestation. This will reduce the time required to monitor for this pest either by checking the crop itself for adults and eggs or using pheromone traps such as those recently described by Censier et al (2014b). It is important, however, that any pest management decisions, take into account factors such as the growth stage of the crop and population size.…”

“…Emergence traps consisted of an upturned seedling tray which was coated on the underside with insect barrier glue (Agralan Ltd, Ashton Keynes, UK) and secured on the soil surface by wooden stakes. Pheromone traps comprised a standard red delta trap with a removable sticky insert (Agralan Ltd), onto which plastic vials of the H. marginata sex pheromone, 2-nonyl butyrate, were placed (Censier et al, 2014b). Traps were positioned at least 10 m into the crop and the pheromone traps were hung at crop height.…”

Degree-day based phenological forecasting model of saddle gall midge ( Haplodiplosis marginata ) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) emergence

“…The sex pheromone of H. marginata has been identified as 2-nonyl butyrate (Censier et al, 2014b) which has led to the development of species specific pheromone traps (Censier et al 2016, Rowley et al, 2017. This advance has made it possible to reliably monitor the emergence and flight activity, providing opportunity to easily study populations in the field (Censier et al, 2016).…”