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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #341708
Research Project: Methyl Bromide Replacement: Mitigation of the Invasive Pest Threat from the American Tropics and Subtropics

Location: Subtropical Horticulture Research

Title: A two-component lure for better detection of pest Euwallacea nr. fornicatus in Florida avocado groves

Author
item Kendra, Paul
item OWENS, DAVID - Orise Fellow
item Montgomery, Wayne
item Narvaez, Teresa
item Tabanca, Nurhayat
item CARRILLO, DANIEL - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2017
Publication Date: 11/7/2017
Citation: Kendra, P.E., Owens, D.R., Montgomery, W.S., Narvaez, T.I., Tabanca, N., Carrillo, D. 2017. A two-component lure for better detection of pest Euwallacea nr. fornicatus in Florida avocado groves. 65th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Denver, CO. 5-8 Nov 2017.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In recent years, several ambrosia beetles morphologically similar to the Asian tea shot-hole borer, Euwallacea fornicatus Eichhoff (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), have become established in Israel and the USA (both California and Florida). Currently referred to as E. near fornicatus, members of this cryptic species complex carry symbiotic Fusarium spp. fungi that cause dieback disease in susceptible hosts, including avocado, Persea americana Mill. Initially detected in Florida avocado groves in 2010, E. nr. fornicatus was not observed to cause major damage until 2016, when large numbers were observed in a single grove, accompanied by significant branch dieback. In response to this elevation in pest status, research was initiated to study the chemical ecology of this pest, including evaluation of kairomone-based lures. Treatments included quercivorol (p-menth-2-en-1-ol, the current standard for E. nr. fornicatus detection in the US), an essential oil enriched to 50% (-)-a-copaene (the best lure for Xyleborus glabratus Eichhoff, another ambrosia beetle that attacks avocado, and the principal vector of laurel wilt), a combination of these two lures, and an unbaited control. In multiple field tests, the copaene lure was found to be as effective as the quercivorol lure, and the combination of copaene and quercivorol resulted in either additive or synergistic attraction. Electroantennography confirmed olfactory chemoreception of both volatiles, with a higher response elicited with the combination. Results indicate that improved detection of E. nr. fornicatus in Florida can be achieved by using a 2-component lure consisting of (-)-a-copaene and p-menth-2-en-1-ol.