1 research outputs found
Identification of the Male-Produced Aggregation Pheromone of the Four-Spotted Coconut Weevil, <i>Diocalandra frumenti</i>
The
four-spotted coconut weevil, <i>Diocalandra frumenti</i> Fabricius (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae), is a small weevil found
attacking economically important palm species, such as coconut, date,
oil, and Canary palms. Given the scarcity of detection and management
tools for this pest, the availability of a pheromone to be included
in trapping protocols would be a crucial advantage. Previous laboratory
experiments showed evidence for aggregation behavior; thus, our main
goal was to identify the aggregation pheromone in this species. The
volatile profile of <i>D. frumenti</i> individuals was studied
by aeration and collection of effluvia in Porapak-Q and also by solid
phase microextraction (SPME) techniques. Moreover, solvent extraction
of previously frozen crushed individuals was also performed. All resulting
extracts and SPME fibers were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled
to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The comparison of male and female samples
provided the candidate compound, 5-ethyl-2,4-dimethyl-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane
(multistriatin), whose biological activity was evaluated in olfactometer
and field assays