Pheromone antagonism in Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) by sex pheromones of two sympatric noctuid moths

Authors: WANG, FU-MIN - West Virginia University; SHEN, ZHU-JIE - Zhejiang A & F University; SCHAL, COBY - North Carolina State University; Zhu, Junwei - Jerry; ZHOU, GUO-XIN - Zhejiang A & F University; WANG, YU-LEI - Zhejiang A & F University; WANG, JI-RUI - Zhejiang A & F University; DENG, JIAN-YU - Zhejiang A & F University; WAN, NIAN-FENG - Shanghai Academy Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Pest Management Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2021
Publication Date: 9/18/2021
Citation: Wang, F., Shen, Z., Schal, C., Zhu, J.J., Zhou, G., Wang, Y., Wang, J., Deng, J., Wan, N. 2021. Pheromone antagonism in Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) by sex pheromones of two sympatric noctuid moths. Pest Management Science. 78(1):379-387. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6651.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.6651

Interpretive Summary: Among cohabitated moth species, the use of multicomponent sex pheromones is crucial not only for the precision of intraspecific mating, but also for the regulation of interspecific behaviors. In cases where disparate pheromone chemicals are often utilized among distant-related (in respect of different families) moths, this interspecies regulation by chemical signals of sex pheromones has been rarely explored. For this topic, we tested the sex pheromone-elicited electrophysiology (EAG) and behavioral responses that involved three moth species, i.e., Plulella xyloslella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) and two noctuid moths, Spodoptera litura and Spodopetera exigua, in which their larvae cohabited on brassica plants. We found significant EAG activities in male moth of P. xyloslella in response to each the major sex pheromones of the noctuid moths, also the indication of pheromone receptor neurons (PRNs) in P.xyloslella males co-responding to (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16Ac) and (Z, E)- 9, 12-tetradecadienyl acetate (ZE-9,12-14Ac), the latter chemical being a major pheromone sharing in S. litura and S. exigua. The results of additional wind tunnel tests indicated that both ZE-9,12-14Ac and (Z, E)-9, 11-tetradecadienyl acetate (ZE- 9,11-14Ac) significantly inhibited the upwind flight of P. xyloslella males toward intraspecific pheromone odors. Field observations showed that the addition of lures containing either ZE-9,12-14Ac or ZE-9,11-14Ac consistently inhibited the attraction of P. xyloslella males to the intraspecific pheromone lures. Our study suggests the potential application of ZE-9,11-14Ac and ZE-9,12-14Ac in mating disruption of the plutellid moth species while managing the noctuid moth species by mass trapping or mating disruption.

Technical Abstract: 1. Moth behaviors mediated by pheromones of sympatric-occurring but distant-related moth has been discussed rarely. 2. All the noctuid pheromones were detected by Plutella xylostella males, while one compound attenuated antennal responses to an intraspecific pheromone. 3. Two noctuid major pheromones inhibited P. xylostella pheromone responses in a wind tunnel and brassica fields. 4. Findings implied the application of the noctuid pheromones in mating disruption of P. xylostella while the management of the noctuid species.