Author
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Beck, John |
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HIGBEE, BRADLEY - Paramount Farming Company, Inc |
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Submitted to: ACS Symposium Series
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2015 Publication Date: 11/4/2015 Citation: Beck, J.J., Higbee, B.S. 2015. Plant or fungal-produced conophthorin as an important component of host plant volatile-based attractants for agricultural lepidopteran insect pests. In: Maienfisch, P., Stevenson, T., editors. Discovery and Synthesis of Crop Protection Products. Washington, DC: Oxford University Press. p. 111-127. Interpretive Summary: The compound conophthorin (chemical name 7-methyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane) is an odor common to numerous beetles, wasps and some flies, and influences some behavior among these species. Conophthorin has recently gained attention as a chemical cue for navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), an insect pest of California tree nuts. Organisms that produce conophthorin are diverse and include plants, insects, fungi, and bacteria. Until recently, conophthorin production was generally believed to be from plants and insects. The recent inclusion of microbes as a source of conophthorin has expanded its current plant-insect interactions to include discrete insect-microbe interactions. Recent investigations into a host plant-based attractant for navel orangeworm have indicated a mutualism, a beneficial relationship, between conophthorin-producing fungal spores and navel orangeworm, specifically when considering almond orchards as the host plant for both. The diverse role of conophthorin as a chemical cue odor for such a wide range of insects suggests that conophthorin is a critical odor whose species-specific bioactivity is enhanced or defined by the associated background odors of the relevant host plant. Provided herein is an overview of the source and role of conophthorin as it relates to moth insect pests. Also included are data on a blend of odors that contains conophthorin and the blend’s ability to attract both male and female navel orangeworm in orchards where other natural odors are being used to influence the mating of the insects. Technical Abstract: Conophthorin (7-methyl-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane) is a semiochemical common to numerous coleopteran and hymenopteran insects, and possess varying semiochemical behavior among these species. Conophthorin has recently gained attention as a semiochemical for navel orangeworm, Amyelois transitella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae); yet, other lepidopteran also have reported semiochemical behavior to conophthorin. Sources of conophthorin are diverse and include plants, insects, fungi, and bacteria. Until recently, conophthorin production was generally believed to be from plants and insects. The recent inclusion of microbes as a source of conophthorin has expanded its current plant-insect interactions to include discrete insect-microbe interactions. Recent investigations into a host plant-based attractant for navel orangeworm has indicated a mutualism between conophthorin-producing fungal spores and navel orangeworm, specifically when considering almond orchards as the host plant for both. The diverse role of conophthorin as a semiochemical for such a wide range of insects suggests that conophthorin is a critical chemical cue whose species-specific bioactivity is enhanced or defined by the associated background odors of the relevant host plant. Provided herein is an overview of the source and role of conophthorin as it relates to lepidopteran insect pests. Also included are data on a blend of volatiles that contains conophthorin and the blend’s efficacy to attract both male and female navel orangeworm in mating disruption environments. |
