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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #335520
Research Project: Integrated Management of Stable Flies

Location: Agroecosystem Management Research

Title: Identification of stable fly attractant compounds in vinasse, a byproduct of sugarcane-ethanol distillation

Author
item JELVEZ-SERRA, NADIA - Universidade Federal De Alagoas
item GOULART, HENRIQUE - Universidade Federal De Alagoas,rio Largo
item DOS SANTOS TAVARES, SHEILA - Universidade Federal De Alagoas
item MAIA E ALMEIDA, CHRYSTIAN - Universidade Federal De Alagoas
item DA COSTA, JOAO - Embrapa
item SANTANA, ANTONIO-EUZEBIO - Universidade Federal De Alagoas
item Zhu, Junwei - Jerry

Submitted to: Medical and Veterinary Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/20/2017
Publication Date: 8/21/2017
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5801898
Citation: Jelvez-Serra, N.S., Goulart, H.F., Dos Santos Tavares, S., Maia E Almeida, C.L., Da Costa, J.G., Santana, A.G., Zhu, J.J. 2017. Identification of stable fly attractant compounds in vinasse, a byproduct of sugarcane-ethanol distillation. Medical and Veterinary Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1111/mve.12246.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mve.12246

Interpretive Summary: Stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae), is one of serious livestock pests worldwide. Its infestation on cattle has caused over billions of dollar losses in livestock industry annually. Recently it has been reported their outbreaks in sugarcane field in Brazil. With their further expansion there becomes not only a huge problem to livestock producers, and also with their larvae and pupae found inside sugarcane stems. This suggested some potential threats in sugarcane production in Brazil may exist in the future. Here we reported the interactions between stable flies and sugarcane derived fertilizer, vinasse, which volatiles released from vinasse may be used as cues for fly orientation?

Technical Abstract: The stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (Diptera: Muscidae), is a worldwide pest of livestock. Recent outbreaks of stable flies in sugarcane fields in Brazil have become a serious problem for livestock producers. Larvae and pupae found inside sugarcane stems after harvesting may indicate that stable flies use these stems as potential oviposition or larval development sites. Field observations suggest that outbreaks of stable flies are associated with the vinasse and filter cake derived from biomass distillation in sugarcane ethanol production that are used as fertilizers in sugarcane fields. Adult stable flies are attracted to vinasse, which appears to present an ideal larval development site. The primary goal of the present study is to demonstrate the role of vinasse in influencing the sensory physiological and behavioural responses of stable flies, and to identify its associated volatile attractant compounds. Both laboratory and field studies showed that vinasse is extremely attractive to adult stable flies. Chemical analyses of volatiles collected revealed a wide range of carboxylic acids, alcohols, phenols and aldehydes as potential attractant compounds. These newly identified attractants could be used to develop a tool for the attractant-baited mass trapping of stable flies in order to reduce infestations.