Revisiting the Male-Produced Aggregation Pheromone of the Lesser Mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae): Identification of a Six-Component Pheromone from a Brazilian Population

Abstract

The lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus Panzer 1797 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), is a cosmopolitan insect pest affecting poultry production. Due to its cryptic behavior, insecticide control is usually not efficient. Thus, sustainable and effective methods would have an enormous and positive impact in poultry production. The aim of this study was to confirm the identity of the male-produced aggregation pheromone for a Brazilian population of A. diaperinus and to evaluate its biological activity in behavioral assays. Six male-specific compounds were identified: (R)-limonene (1), (E)-ocimene (2), 2-nonanone (3), (S)-linalool (4), (R)-daucene (5), all described before in an American population, and a sixth component, (E,E)-α-farnesene (6), which is apparently exclusive to a Brazilian population. Y-Tube bioassays confirmed the presence of a male-produced aggregation pheromone and showed that all components need to be present in a similar ratio and concentration as emitted by male A. diaperinus to produce a positive chemotactic response.

Attractiveness of Host Plant Volatile Extracts to the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri, is Reduced by Terpenoids from the Non-Host Cashew

“…Geranylacetone (96%) was purchased from TCI (Tokyo, Japan). ( E , E )-α-Farnesene was synthesized in three steps from isoprene and sulfur dioxide (Hassemer et al 2016). ( E )-4,8-Dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene (DMNT) and ( E , E )-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene (TMTT) were synthesized from geraniol and ( E , E )-farnesol, respectively (Leopold 1990).…”

Development of pull and push–pull systems for management of lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus, in poultry houses using alarm and aggregation pheromones

“…( R )‐limonene, ( E )‐ocimene, 2‐nonanone, ( S )‐linalool and ( R )‐daucene, reported that ( R )‐limonene and ( S )‐linalool were not necessary for attraction, and that higher numbers of larvae were caught in aggregation pheromone‐baited traps . By contrast, Brazilian populations of A. diaperinus require all six compounds [( R )‐limonene, ( E )‐ocimene, 2‐nonanone, ( S )‐linalool, ( R )‐daucene and ( E , E )‐α‐farnesene] for effective attraction, and in this study, our data showed that immature stages of A. diaperinus were not caught in baited traps. The capture of immature forms of holometabolan species in pheromone traps has been described for other insects, such as T. castaneum , Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and the codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) .…”

“…2‐Nonanone (99%) was provided by Jeffrey R. Aldrich Consulting LLC (Santa Cruz, CA, USA). 2‐Ethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone (98%), ( E )‐ocimene (98%), ( S )‐linalool (98%), ( R )‐daucene (87%) and ( E , E )‐α‐farnesene (> 95%) were synthesized in the laboratory as described previously …”

“…1,4‐benzoquinone, 2‐methyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone and 2‐ethyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone, as alarm pheromone components from the abdominal glands of Brazilian male and female A. diaperinus . Furthermore, we also recently identified a male‐produced aggregation pheromone for Brazilian A. diaperinus as a six‐component blend comprising ( R )‐limonene, 2‐nonanone, ( E )‐ocimene, ( S )‐linalool, ( R )‐daucene and ( E , E )‐α‐farnesene . Identification of a six‐component blend was a surprising discovery, because earlier work had shown that the aggregation pheromone for North American A. diaperinus comprised only five of these six compounds, with ( E , E )‐α‐farnesene being absent from the pheromone blend .…”

“…In recent years, several alternative methods for lesser mealworm control have been proposed, with the aim of minimizing the use of insecticides and enhancing the quality of the food that is being produced . Semiochemicals, mainly pheromones, have been suggested for use in monitoring and controlling A. diaperinus in poultry houses . Recently, we identified three benzoquinones, i.e.…”