title: Male aggregation pheromone of date palm fruit stalk borer Oryctes elegans.
abstract: Laboratory and field investigations were carried out to characterize the chemical communication system of the date palm fruit stalk borer, Oryctes elegans, and to develop pheromone-based trapping in Eastern Iran. Adults of both sexes feeding on date palm pieces attracted conspecifics, whereas date palm alone was minimally attractive. Males were twice as attractive as females. More beetles were captured at the palm crown than at ground level. Odors from adults feeding on sugarcane were sampled and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Whereas females did not emit sex specific volatiles, males emitted a blend of 4-methyloctanoic acid (1: major component) and ethyl 4-methyloctanoate (2), occasionally mixed with minor components: 4-methyloctanyl acetate (3), methyl 4-methyloctanoate (4), 4-methyloctanol (5), and nonanyl acetate (6). Electroantennography and field trapping experiments demonstrated that compound 1 is an essential component of the male aggregation pheromone of O. elegans. It was barely attractive by itself but synergistic with fresh date palm odor. It attracted many more beetles than any of compounds 2-6. The addition of one or several of compounds 2-6 to 1 did not improve trap captures. During the course of 2 years, we captured 4000 beetles, with a weekly average of 6.3 beetles/trap, and were able to monitor the seasonal flight of O. elegans. Our results provide the basis for developing mass trapping for control of this pest.
authors.affiliation: INRA, Unité de Phytopharmacie et Médiateurs Chimiques, Centre de Versailles, Route de Saint-Cyr, 78026 Versailles Cedex, France. rochatd@versailles.inra.fr
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rochat
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mohammadpoor
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malosse
authors.forename: Arman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avand-Faghih
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lettere
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beauhaire
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: Adeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pezier
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renou
authors.forename: Gholam Abbas
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Abdollahi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D028023:Arecaceae; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D005426:Flight, Animal; D007300:Insect Control; D008297:Male; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones