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Title: Interruption of the semiochemical-based attraction of ambrosia beetles to ethanol-baited traps and ethanol-injected trap trees by Verbenone

Author
item Ranger, Christopher
item TOBIN, PATRICK - Us Forest Service (FS)
item Reding, Michael - Mike
item BRAY, ALICIA - Tennessee State University
item OLIVER, JASON - Tennessee State University
item SCHULTZ, PETER - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University
item FRANK, STEVEN - North Carolina State University
item PERSAD, ANAND - Us Forest Service (FS)

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/14/2013
Publication Date: 6/1/2013
Citation: Ranger, C.M., Tobin, P., Reding, M.E., Bray, A., Oliver, J., Schultz, P., Frank, S., Persad, A. 2013. Interruption of the semiochemical-based attraction of ambrosia beetles to ethanol-baited traps and ethanol-injected trap trees by Verbenone. Environmental Entomology. 42:539-547.

Interpretive Summary: Verbenone is a volatile chemical produced by bark beetles that acts as an anti-aggregation pheromone to reduce competition for host-resources. We tested the ability of verbenone to interrupt the response of ambrosia beetles to ethanol-baited traps and ethanol-injected trap trees. Field trapping studies conducted in Ohio showed that a verbenone dispenser reduced the attraction of five species of ambrosia beetles to ethanol-baited traps. A verbenone dispenser attached to ethanol-injected Magnolia virginiana L. trap trees deployed in Ohio also reduced ambrosia beetle attacks compared to trap trees without a verbenone dispenser. Experimental trees were injected with ethanol to ensure ambrosia beetle pressure. Subsequent field trials demonstrated a direct relationship between distance from a verbenone dispenser and ambrosia beetle attacks on trap trees in Ohio in 2011 and 2012 and Tennessee in 2012, but not in Tennessee and Virginia in 2011. In essence, the higher density of attacks per tree occurred on trap trees farthest away from the verbenone source in Ohio and Tennessee. Verbenone alone could be somewhat useful for discouraging ambrosia beetle attacks on individual trees or on a small spatial scale, but deployment of verbenone might be most effective when integrated with other management tactics.

Technical Abstract: We examined the ability of verbenone, a bark beetle anti-aggregation pheromone, to interrupt the semiochemical-based attraction of ambrosia beetles. Field trapping studies conducted in Ohio showed that a verbenone dispenser with a release rate of 50 mg / d at 25 oC reduced the attraction of Anisandrus sayi Hopkins, Euwallacea validus (Eichhoff), Hypothenemus dissimilis (Zimmermann), Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford), and Xyleborinus saxesenii (Ratzeburg) to ethanol-baited traps. A verbenone dispenser attached to ethanol-injected Magnolia virginiana L. trap trees deployed in Ohio also reduced ambrosia beetle attacks compared to trap trees without a verbenone dispenser. Subsequent field trials demonstrated a direct relationship between distance from a verbenone dispenser and ambrosia beetle attacks on trap trees in Ohio in 2011 and 2012 and Tennessee in 2012, but not in Tennessee and Virginia in 2011. Assessment of the influence of verbenone on the probability of attacks above a density threshold found that while attacks occurred on trap trees regardless of their proximity to a verbenone dispenser, the higher density of attacks per tree occurred on trap trees farthest away from the verbenone source in Ohio and Tennessee. Verbenone alone could be somewhat useful for discouraging ambrosia beetle attacks on individual trees or on a small spatial scale, but deployment of verbenone might be most effective when integrated as part of a ‘push-pull’ strategy.