Terminalia larval host fruit reduces the response of Bactrocera dorsalis adults to the male lure methyl eugenol

Authors: Manoukis, Nicholas; Cha, Dong; COLLIGNON, MAX - University Of Hawaii; SHELLY, TODD - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2018
Publication Date: 8/3/2018
Citation: Manoukis, N., Cha, D.H., Collignon, M.R., Shelly, T. 2018. Terminalia larval host fruit reduces the response of Bactrocera dorsalis adults to the male lure methyl eugenol. Journal of Economic Entomology. 111(4):1644-1649. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy095.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy095

Interpretive Summary: Detection, control and eradication of the economically important oriental fruit fly worldwide relies on the male-specific pheromone lure methyl eugenol. While this is known to be a very powerful attractant, reasons for individuals demonstrating low or no response are not fully understood. This study shows that the type of fruit the larvae of the orient fruit fly feed on has an effect on the individuals response to methyl eugenol as an adult. This effect might be driven by the methyl eugenol content of the fruit itself. Further study is needed to assess the extent of host fruit effects on adult lure response for other fruit and other fruit fly species.

Technical Abstract: Methyl eugenol(ME) is a powerful semiochemical attractant to males of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, and is the keystone of detection, control, and eradication programs against this polyphagous and highly invasive tephritid pest. Despite its status as a model lure against B.dorsalis, variation among individuals in their attraction is known, independent of the generally increasing attraction with age and decreases with previous exposure. Here we report that adult male B.dorsalis emerging from larvae from Terminalia catappa (tropical almond) fruit have a significantly lower behavioral response to ME compared with wild males from Psidium guajava or colony-reared males raised on artificial larval diet. An F1 generation from the lower-responding flies reared on a non-tropical almond diet removes the difference, strongly implicating the host fruit. We hypothesized that the low response of males from tropical almond may be due to the high ME content of that fruit, and experiments with ME added to artificial diet lend some support to this possibility. In addition to the results above we report on quantities of ME in three different host fruits (T.catappa, Psidium guajava, and Carica papaya) of B.dorsalis. This study indicates the need for further research on the effect of host fruit on adult response to lures in economically important tephritids.