ARS | Publication request: Enhanced attraction of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) to pheromone-baited traps with the addition of green leaf volatiles

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: February 17, 2012
Publication Date: August 1, 2012
Citation: Li, P., Zhu, J.J., Qin, Y. 2012. Enhanced attraction of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) to pheromone-baited traps with the addition of green leaf volatiles. Journal of Economic Entomology. 105(4):1149-1156. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC11109. Available: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1603/EC11109.

Interpretive Summary: The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is one of the most serious pests on Cruciferae crops worldwide. Electrophysiological and behavioral responses of P. xylostella to green leaf volatiles (GLVs) alone or together with its female sex pheromone were investigated in the present paper via indoor laboratory bioassays and trapping tests in the field.

Technical Abstract: The GLVs, such as 1-hexanol and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, elicited strong electroantennographic responses from unmated male and female P. xylostella, whereas (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate only produced a relative weak response. The behavioral responses of unmated moths to GLVs were further tested in Y-tube olfactometer experiments. (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate induced orientation behavior reaching 60-70%, which was significantly higher than the control. From the field experiments conducted in 2008 and 2009, significant higher catches were observed from traps baited with synthetic sex pheromone with either (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate alone or a blend of (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol and (E)-2-hexenal compared to the control and other blend mixtures. These results demonstrated that GLVs could be used to enhance the behavioral response of P. xylostella males to sex pheromone-baited traps.