Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Albany, California » Western Regional Research Center » Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #298073
Title: Comparison of the volatile emission profiles of ground almond and pistachio mummies: part 1 – addressing a gap in knowledge of current attractants of navel orangeworm

Author
item Beck, John
item Mahoney, Noreen
item Cook, Daniel
item Gee, Wai
item Baig, Nausheena

Submitted to: Phytochemistry Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/17/2014
Publication Date: 5/3/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/58863
Citation: Beck, J.J., Mahoney, N.E., Cook, D., Gee, W.S., Baig, N. 2014. Comparison of the volatile emission profiles of ground almond and pistachio mummies: part 1 – addressing a gap in knowledge of current attractants of navel orangeworm. Phytochemistry Letters. 9:102-106. DOI.10.1016/j.phytol.2014.04.010.

Interpretive Summary: Over the years various parts of almond and pistachios (hull, shell, kernel, or oil) have been evaluated for their ability to attract the navel orangeworm moth, a major insect pest to almond and pistachio orchards in California. Almond meal, which typically consists of ground almond kernels, is used by growers and researchers to monitor the populations of navel orangeworm moths in almond and pistachio orchards. Recently, ground pistachio and almond mummies have been used in field trapping studies for their potential to attract navel orangeworm moths. Surprisingly, the odor profiles of these two systems have not been evaluated. The objective of the present study was to survey and then compare and contrast the odor profiles of both ground almond and pistachio mummies over the course of a week. The odor emission profile of the almond mummies remained consistent over the one-week evaluation period, albeit in very low amounts; whereas the profile of the pistachio mummies changed over time. These results in this present study help to explain data from other field trapping studies of navel orangeworm that evaluated almond and pistachio mummies.

Technical Abstract: Over the years various tissues of almond and pistachios have been evaluated for their ability to attract the navel orangeworm moth, a major insect pest to almond and pistachio orchards in California. Almond meal, which typically consists of ground almond kernels, is the current monitoring tool for navel orangeworm pressures in almond and pistachio orchards. Recently, ground pistachio and almond mummies have been re-visited in field trapping studies for their potential to attract navel orangeworm moths. Surprisingly, the volatile profiles of these two systems have not been reported. The objective of this study was to survey and then compare and contrast the volatile profiles of both ground almond and pistachio mummies over the course of a week. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the headspace volatiles showed a distinct difference between ground almond and pistachio mummies. The volatile emission profile of the almond mummies remained consistent over the one-week period, albeit in very low amounts; whereas the profile of the pistachio mummies changed over time with differences in the PCA between day 0 and day 1, and between day 1 and days 3 and 7. The volatile profile of pistachio mummies on days 3 and 7 were identical. These data help to explain results from recent navel orangeworm field trapping studies using almond and pistachio mummies.