Non-polar body waxes enhance sex pheromone activity in the yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Abstract

In the yellow peach moth, a synthetic sex pheromone consisting of (E)-10-hexadecenal and (Z)-10-hexadecenal showed significantly lower attraction than crude pheromone extracts in wind tunnel tests. Synergistic effects of a nonpolar fraction (NPF) from the crude pheromone extract on the activity of a polar fraction (PF), including aldehydes, were assessed in wind tunnel tests. NPF itself showed no activity, but the number of males attracted close to the source was significantly increased when it was added to PF. Similar synergistic effects were also observed in a female body wax (FBW) extract and its NPF but not in male body waxes. Effects of NPF from both sources dose-dependently increased and the active dose range of NPF in FBW was larger than that of the crude pheromone extract. New unknown components that synergistically improve the activity of aldehyde components may be non-polar compounds in FBW. The actual sex pheromone system of the yellow peach moth may consist of aldehydes (attractive over a long distance) and non-polar components in female body wax that functions as a cue for the final recognition of females.

Monoenyl hydrocarbons in female body wax of the yellow peach moth as synergists of aldehyde pheromone components

“…Enhancing activity by female body wax hydrocarbon fractions As reported by Xiao and Honda (2010), a NPF of female body wax extracts of the yellow peach moth enhanced male responses to a pheromone source in the final stage of mating behavior when mixed with an aldehyde blend consisting of E10-16: Ald and Z10-16: Ald in a ratio of 95.4:4.5. To survey the active components, the NPF was further separated into seven fractions, Fr.…”

“…We reported synergism of the NPF of the pheromone gland extracts and female body wax extracts with aldehyde pheromone components (Xiao and Honda 2010). To identify the active components, the NPF of female body wax extracts was separated into several fractions based on their degree of unsaturation.…”

“…In our previous report, we showed that non-polar components of the pheromone gland extracts and female body wax extracts synergistically enhanced male behavioral responses during the final stages of response to the pheromone sources when mixed with the aldehyde pheromone blend (Xiao and Honda 2010).…”

“…(1) starting flight, (2) catching plume (male moth flies upwind along the plume), (3) close to source (hovering around within 10 cm of the bait) and (4) source contact (Xiao and Honda 2010;Mazor and Dunkelblum 1992). The duration of remaining close to the source and number of source contacts were also recorded.…”

“…2). Such an amount of Z9-27: HC in male body wax was either inadequate to elicit the synergism with the aldehyde blend or the synergism was covered by unknown factors that resulted in no synergism being found in male body wax extracts (Xiao and Honda 2010). Most lepidopteran pheromones are known to consist of multi-components that are classified into the type I group including alcohols, acetates and aldehydes; the type II group with unsaturated hydrocarbons or their epoxy derivatives; and miscellaneous pheromone components that are classified as neither type I nor type II (Ando et al 2004).…”