title: Responses of the two-spotted oak buprestid, Agrilus biguttatus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), to host tree volatiles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Agrilus bigutattus (Fabricius) is a forest pest of increasing importance in the United Kingdom. The larvae damage weakened native oaks and are thought to contribute to premature tree death. Suspected links with acute oak decline (AOD) are not yet confirmed, but AOD-predisposed trees appear to become more susceptible to A. biguttatus attack. Thus, management may be necessary for control of this insect. To explore the possibility of monitoring beetle populations by baited traps, the host tree volatiles regulating A. biguttatus-oak interactions were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biologically active volatile organic compounds in dynamic headspace extracts of oak foliage and bark were identified initially by coupled gas chromatography-electroantennography (GC-EAG) and GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and the structures were confirmed by GC coinjection with authentic compounds. Of two synthetic blends of these compounds comprising the active leaf volatiles, the simpler one containing three components evoked strongly positive behavioural responses in four-arm olfactometer tests with virgin females and males, although fresh leaf material was more efficient than the blend. The other blend, comprising a five-component mixture made up of bark volatiles, proved to be as behaviourally active for gravid females as bark tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These initial results on A. biguttatus chemical ecology reveal aspects of the role of attractive tree volatiles in the host-finding of beetles and underpin the development of semiochemically based surveillance strategies for this forest insect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, UK.
authors.forename: József
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vuts
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, UK.
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Woodcock
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecosystems, Society and Biosecurity, Forest Research, UK.|Department of Crop and Environment Sciences, Harper Adams University, UK.
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sumner
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, UK.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Caulfield
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecosystems, Society and Biosecurity, Forest Research, UK.|Department of Crop and Environment Sciences, Harper Adams University, UK.
authors.forename: Katy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecosystems, Society and Biosecurity, Forest Research, UK.
authors.forename: Daegan J G
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Inward
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop and Environment Sciences, Harper Adams University, UK.
authors.forename: Simon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Leather
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, UK.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pickett
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts, UK.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birkett
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ecosystems, Society and Biosecurity, Forest Research, UK.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Denman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001681:Biological Assay; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D064367:Olfactometry; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D014197:Trees / Q000737:chemistry*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Agrilus biguttatus; Buprestidae; acute oak decline; attractant; forestry; semiochemical; tree volatiles