Abstract
A sciarid fly,Lycoriella mali (Fitch), is one of the most destructive pests to the commercial mushroom,Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Singer. Sanitation procedures and pesticide applications were ineffectual in controlling this pest. A supplemental pest control method employing sex pheromones was suggested since previous work indicated the presence of a sex attractant in the female. Diagnostic reactions performed on female extracts indicated saturated hydrocarbons as active components. The biologically most active fractions eluted from the gas chromatograph between standard hydrocarbons C15 and C22. Hydrocarbons C15, C16, C17, and C18 were isolated and identified via TLC, GC, and GC-MS. Male response to standard hydrocarbons C15 to C26 indicated that C17 is a major attractant. Male response to varying amounts of C17 indicated a preference for levels 10−6g and 10−9g.
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Kostelc, J.G., Girard, J.E. & Hendry, L.B. Isolation and identification of a sex attractant of a mushroom-infesting sciarid fly. J Chem Ecol 6, 1–11 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00987522
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00987522