Heritable variation in the sex pheromone of the almond moth, Cadra cautella.
The sex pheromone of the female almond moth, Cadra cautella, constitutes a highly variable signal. Age and period of the L/D cycle had significant effects on the variation in titers of (Z,E)-9,12-tetradecadienyl acetate (Z9,E12-14:Ac) and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9-14:Ac) and the ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac. Across age classes, minimum and maximum mean titers (ng +/- SE) of Z9,E12-14:Ac and Z9-14:Ac ranged from 8.7 +/- 0.46 to 21 +/- 1.0 and from 2.0 +/- 0.14 to 2.9 +/- 0.15, respectively; the mean ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac ranged from 5.2 +/- 0.21 to 11 +/- 0.40. The titers of Z9,E12-14:Ac and Z9-14:Ac and the ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac were highest at the onset of the scotophase and lowest at the onset of the photophase. Similarly, the titer of Z9,E12-14:Ac and the ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac were highest in females sampled 1 d postemergence and declined over all age classes. The titer of Z9-14:Ac increased from day 1 to day 2, and then declined to levels equivalent to day 1. Analysis of pupal and adult mass demonstrated a positive correlation (r = 0.874, P < 0.001); however, the titer of neither Z9,E12-14:Ac or Z9-14:Ac nor the ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac were significantly correlated with pupal mass. Age-related variations in pheromone titer and ratios were heritable. The narrow-sense heritability of the observed variation in 1-d-old females, 1 hr into the scotophase is 1.2 +/- 0.32, 0.75 +/- 0.24, and 0.46 +/- 0.17 for the titer of Z9,E12-14:Ac and Z9-14:Ac and the ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac, respectively. A significant additive genetic correlation was observed between that of Z9,E12-14:Ac and Z9-14:Ac, but not between that of either Z9,E12-14:Ac or Z9-14:Ac and the ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac. The results of the genetic analyses suggest that the traits of titer of Z9,E12-14:Ac and Z9-14:Ac have a greater potential to respond to selection than the trait of ratio of Z9,E12-14:Ac to Z9-14:Ac.
Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, 92521, USA. jeremy.allison@email.ucr.edu
Jeremy D
JD
Allison
Ring T
RT
Cardé
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009036:Moths / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D011679:Pupa / Q000502:physiology; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000235:genetics*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water
D012724:Sex Attractants; D014867:Water