title: Aromatized to find mates: α-pinene aroma boosts the mating success of adult olive fruit flies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Contrary to other Tephritidae, female but also male olive flies, Bactrocera oleae release pheromones during their sexual communication. Alpha-pinene, a common plant volatile found in high amounts in unripe olive fruit and leaves has been detected as one of the major components of the female pheromone. However, possible effects of α-pinene and that of other host volatiles on the mating behavior of the olive fly have not been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using wild olive flies, reared on olive fruit for 3 generations in the laboratory, we explored whether exposure of male and female olive flies to α-pinene affects their sexual performance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Exposure of sexually mature adult olive flies to the aroma of α-pinene significantly increases the mating performance over non-exposed individuals. Interestingly, exposure to α-pinene boosts the mating success of both males and female olive flies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of such an effect on the olive fly, and the first time that a single plant volatile has been reported to induce such a phenomenon on both sexes of a single species. We discuss the possible associated mechanism and provide some practical implications.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece.
authors.forename: Christos D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Gerofotis
authors.forename: Charalampos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ioannou
authors.forename: Nikos T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Papadopoulos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry*; D056084:Genetic Fitness / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031658:Olea; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D033621:Tephritidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D010675:Pheromones; C005451:alpha-pinene