Chemoecology (2015) 25, 147-157

Angelo Canale, Giovanni Benelli, Giacinto Salvatore Germinara, Graziano Fusini, Donato Romano, Francesco Rapalini, Nicolas Desneux, Giuseppe Rotundo, Alfio Raspi and Adriano Carpita (2015)
Behavioural and electrophysiological responses to overlooked female pheromone components in the olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Chemoecology 25 (3), 147-157
Abstract: The olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae, has a peculiar sexual chemoecology, guided by both male- and female-borne olfactory cues, mostly produced in rectal glands. Despite the research on B. oleae female pheromones has a long history, only few components (mainly 1,7-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane) have been deeply investigated. Detailed evidences about the chemical identity and bioactivity of several others C10–C18 molecules produced in female rectal glands are lacking. We conducted GC and GC/EI–MS, identifying nine sex-specific chemicals and an additional compound [ethyl(Z)-9-octadecenoate], less abundant in females over males. Age-related production of all compounds raised over time. In 21-day-old females, it reached amounts from a minimum of 8.08 ng/fly (n-butyl dodecanoate) to a maximum of 87.19 ng/fly (ethyl hexadecanoate). In EAG experiments, all chemicals were perceived by both sexes. Methyl hexadecanoate and ethyl decanoate attracted males and females, respectively. This is the first report on a female-borne compound attracting conspecific females in Tephritidae. Our study sheds light on the bioactivity of female-borne pheromones involved in the B. oleae chemoecology. Further research is ongoing to test methyl hexadecanoate and ethyl decanoate as lures to enhance sex pheromone blends used in IPM programmes against B. oleae, thus improving control tools against this key pest.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Giovanni Benelli, Nicolas Desneux, Angelo Canale, Giuseppe Rotundo

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
pheromones/attractants/traps

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bactrocera oleae