EAG and behavioral responses of Helicoverpa armigera males to volatiles from poplar leaves and their combinations with sex pheromone

J Zhejiang Univ Sci. 2004 Dec;5(12):1577-82. doi: 10.1631/jzus.2004.1577.

Abstract

Electroantennogram (EAG) evaluation of selected compounds from wilted leaves of black poplar, Populus nigra, showed that phenyl acetaldehyde, methyl salicylate, (E)-2-hexenal elicited strong responses from male antennae of Helicoverpa armigera. When mixed with sex pheromone (Ph), some volatiles, e.g. phenyl acetaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, phenylethanol, methylsalicylate, linalool, benzaldehyde, (Z)-3-hexenol, (Z)-3-hexenylacetate, (Z)-6-nonenol, cineole, (E)-2-hexenal, and geraniol elicited stronger responses from male antennae than Ph alone. Wind tunnel bioassay demonstrated that various volatiles could either enhance or inhibit the effect of synthetic sex pheromone. (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol and linalool in combination with Ph could not induce any male to land on source at all, whereas phenyl acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, (Z)-6-nonenol and salicylaldehyde combined with Ph enhanced male response rates by 58.63%, 50.33%, 51.85% and 127.78%, respectively, compared to Ph alone. These results suggested that some volatiles should modify sex pheromone caused behavior and that some of them could possibly be used as a tool for disrupting mating or for enhancing the effect of synthetic sex pheromone in the field.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemotaxis / drug effects
  • Chemotaxis / physiology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Combinations
  • Flight, Animal / physiology
  • Lepidoptera / drug effects*
  • Lepidoptera / physiology*
  • Male
  • Odorants
  • Organic Chemicals / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / metabolism*
  • Populus / metabolism*
  • Sex Attractants / pharmacology*
  • Sexual Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
  • Sexual Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Volatilization

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sex Attractants