Abstract
An effective synthetic attractant, based on host-related volatile compounds, was developed for the nitidulid beetle, Carpophilus davidsoni, as part of a program for managing this pest in Australian peach orchards. Fermenting peach juice and whole peaches and nectarines served as chemical models for the attractant, and synthetic formulations were sought that matched the natural sources, both with respect to emission rates of key chemicals (in ng/min) and attractiveness to flying beetles. All volatile sources were kept in airstreams during laboratory chemical measurements, and these airstreams were subsequently directed to the wind-tunnel behavioral assay, allowing the determined emission rates of compounds to be associated with particular levels of attractiveness. Chemical sampling of airstreams was by solid-phase microextraction, and analysis was by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. A volatile delivery system was coupled to the wind tunnel and allowed facile manipulation of natural and synthetic scents. The final blend, modeled after fermenting peach juice, contained ethanol as the main constituent and 2-methyl-1-propanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, acetaldehyde, and ethyl acetate as minor constituents, all in water solution. Blend components were synergistic, and use of a mixture was essential for optimal attractiveness. The synthetic blend was highly effective in the field and is intended to replace fermenting peach juice and overripe peaches, which were previously used as synergists of the Carpophilus spp. aggregation pheromones in attract-and-kill stations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartelt, R. J. 1997. Calibration of a commercial solid-phase microextraction device for measuring headspace concentrations or organic volatiles. Anal. Chem. 69:364–372.
Bartelt, R. J. 1999. Sap beetles, pp. 69–89, in R. J. Hardie and A. K. Minks (eds.). Pheromones of Non-Lepidopteran Insects Associated with Agricultural Plants. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.
Bartelt, R. J. and James, D. G. 1994. Aggregation pheromone of Australian sap beetle Carpophilus davidsoni (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 20:3207–3219.
Bartelt, R. J. and Wicklow, D. T. 1999. Volatiles from Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenb. and their attractiveness to nitidulid beetles. J. Agric. Food Chem. 47:2447–2454.
Bartelt, R. J. and Zilkowski, B. W. 1998. A versatile and quantitative volatile-delivery system for laboratory bioassays. J. Chem. Ecol. 24:535–558.
Bartelt, R. J. and Zilkowski, B. W. 1999. Nonequilibrium quantitation of volatiles in air streams by solid-phase microextraction. Anal. Chem. 71:92–101.
Bartelt, R. J. and Zilkowski, B. W. 2000. Airflow rate in the quantitation of volatiles in air streams by solid-phase microextraction. Anal. Chem. 72:3949–3955.
Dobson, R. M. 1954. The species of Carpophilus Stephens (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) associated with stored products. Bull. Entomol. Res. 45:389–402.
Dobson, R. M. 1964. A New Species Of Carpophilus Stephens (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) from Australia. Proc. Royal Entomol. Soc. London (B) 33:71–72.
Dowd, P. F. 1987. A labor-saving method for rearing the driedfruit beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) on pinto bean-based diet. J. Econ. Entomol. 80:1351–1353.
Genstat Committee. 2002. Genstat for Windows 6th edition, VSN International Ltd., Oxford.
Hely, P. C., Pasfield, G., and Gellatley, J. C. 1982. Insect Pests of Fruits and Vegetables in NSW. Inkata Press, Melbourne and Sydney, Australia.
Hossain, M. S., Mansfield, C., and Il’ichev, A. L. 1999. Mass trapping and monitoring of Carpophilus beetles during late summer as an aspect of control strategy, p. 14, in Proceedings Australian Entomological Society Scientific Conference, Australian National University, Canberra.
Hossain, M. S., Mansfield, C., and Brown, C. 2000. Control of Carpophilus spp. by using an aggregation pheromone. Austral. Fresh Stone Fruit Quart. 2:13–14.
Hossain, M. S., Brown, C., Mansfield, C., and Il’ichev, A. L. 2001. Attract and kill strategy to control Carpophilus beetles, pp. 5–7, in Proceedings of the 7th Australian Fresh Stone Fruit Industry Conference, Appendix 2, Hobart, Tasmania.
Hossain, M. S., Williams, D. G., Mansfield, C., Bartelt, R. J., Callinan, L., and Il’ichev A. L. 2006. An attract and kill strategy to control Carpophilus spp. in Australian stone fruit orchards. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 118:11–19.
James, D. G., Faulder, R. J., Vogele, B., Bartelt, R. J., and Moore, C. 1997. Phenology of Carpophilus spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) in stone fruit orchards as determined by pheromone trapping: Implications for prediction of crop damage. Austral. J. Entomol. 36:165–173
James, D. G., Moore, C. J., Faulder, R. J., and Vogele, B. 1998. An improved coattractant for pheromone trapping of Carpophilus spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Austral. J. Entomol. 37:357–361.
Kable, P. F. 1969. Brown rot of stone fruits on the Murrumbidgee irrigation areas. Austral. J. Agric. Res. 20:301–316.
Lin, H. and Phelan, P. L. 1991. Identification of food volatiles attractive to dusky sap beetle, Carpophilus lugubris (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 17:1273–1286.
Mansfield, C. M. and Hossain, M. S. 2004. The attractiveness of different fermenting food odours to Carpophilus spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Gen. Appl. Entomol. 33:41–44.
Pawliszyn, J. 1997. Solid-Phase Microextraction: Theory and Practice. Wiley-VCH, New York.
Phelan, P. L. and Lin, H. 1991. Chemical characterization of fruit and fungal volatiles attractive to dried-fruit beetle, Carpophilus hemipterus (L.) (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). J. Chem. Ecol. 17:1253–1272.
Smilanick, J. M., Ehler, L. E., and Birch, M. C. 1978. Attraction of Carpophilus spp. (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) to volatile compounds present in figs. J. Chem. Ecol. 4:701–707.
Warner, R. M. 1961. Area baiting program 1960 results. Proc. Calif. Fig Inst. 15:36–40.
Wildman, J. D. 1933. Note on the use of microorganisms for the production of odors attractive to the dried fruit beetle. J. Econ. Entomol. 26:516–517.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank Sorn Norng for some statistical analyses and Robert Bennet for technical assistance. We also thank Mamun Hossain and David Williams for constructive review of the manuscript and Horticulture Australia, Ltd., and the Department of Primary Industries, Victoria, for providing the financial support for the field portion of this work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Mention of trade names or commercial products in this article is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bartelt, R.J., Hossain, M.S. Development of Synthetic Food-Related Attractant for Carpophilus davidsoni and its Effectiveness in the Stone Fruit Orchards in Southern Australia. J Chem Ecol 32, 2145–2162 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9135-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9135-7