title: Identification of sex pheromone components from pheromone gland volatiles of the tomato looper,Plusia chalcites (Esp.).
abstract: The sex pheromone glands ofPlusia chalcites release, dodecyl acetate, (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate, 11-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-8-tridecenyl acetate, and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate. A combination of capillary GC, GC-MS, and dimethyl disulfide derivatization enabled a rigorous identification of all these compounds, some of which were previously found in gland extracts. Bioassays in a flight tunnel showed that a ternary blend of (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate, and (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate elicited directed flights from 85 to 100% of the males tested and elicited copulation attempts, at the end of the flights, from 44 to 74% of the males tested. This blend was equal in activity to the natural gland extract. Addition of the other acetates had only a slight influence on the activity of this mixture. Substitution of either (Z)-9-dodecenyl acetate or (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate in this blend by 11-dodecenyl acetate gave two ternary mixtures which also elicited high levels of courtship activity, almost as high as that of the original blend. Addition of (Z)-7-dodecenyl alcohol inhibited almost totally the flight activity of males.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Plant Protection, ARO The Volcani Center, 50 250, Bet Dagan, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dunkelblum
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Snir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gothilf
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Harpaz