title: Identification of the sex pheromone of the mealybug Dysmicoccus grassii Leonardi.
abstract: Studies about the sex pheromone of the mealybug  Dysmicoccus grassii , a main pest of Canary Islands banana cultivars, showed strong evidence that (-)-(R)-lavandulyl propionate and acetate in a 6:1 ratio are principal components of it. Volatile collection and GC-MS analysis from aeration of virgin females allowed the structural elucidation of the compounds. The activity and stereochemistry of both substances were established by means of relative attraction of mealybug males to synthetic standards in competitive Petri dish bioassays. (R)-Lavandulyl propionate induced a stronger attractive effect when compared to (R)-lavandulyl acetate. The attractiveness of the mixture of the two compounds at the original source ratio showed no statistically significant difference from that of the sum of each of the single compounds alone, suggesting that both components are not synergistic but additive.
authors.affiliation: Ecología y Protección Agrícola, S.L., Apartado de Correos 50, Carlet 46240, Spain. igdeal@epa-ecologia.com
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Alfonso
authors.forename: Estrella
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: Yisell
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Velazquez
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Primo
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D015394:Molecular Structure; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D012724:Sex Attractants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C585847:(R)-lavandulyl propionate; D000085:Acetates; D007301:Insect Hormones; D039821:Monoterpenes; D012724:Sex Attractants; C492922:lavandulyl acetate