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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #374241
Research Project: Urban Small Farms and Gardens Pest Management

Location: Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory

Title: Field responses of rice stalk stink bug, Tibraca limbativentris (Hemiptera: pentatomidae), to synthetic sex pheromone and isomers of 1, 10-bisaboladien-3-ol

Author
item DE FREITAS, T.F.S. - University Of Rio Grande Do Sul
item HICKEL, E.R. - Epagri
item Khrimian, Ashot
item BORGES, MIGUEL - Embrapa
item MICHEREFF, M.F.F. - Embrapa
item BARRIGOSSI, J.A. - Embrapa
item LAUMANN, R.A. - Embrapa
item GUGGILAPU, SRAVANTHI - Nih, National Institutes Of Allergy And Infectious Diseases
item SANT'ANA, J. - University Of Rio Grande Do Sul
item BLASSIOLI-MORAES, M.C. - Embrapa

Submitted to: Neotropical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2020
Publication Date: 2/18/2021
Citation: De Freitas, T., Hickel, E., Khrimian, A., Borges, M., Michereff, M., Barrigossi, J., Laumann, R., Guggilapu, S.D., Sant'Ana, J., Blassioli-Moraes, M. 2021. Field responses of rice stalk stink bug, Tibraca limbativentris (Hemiptera: pentatomidae), to synthetic sex pheromone and isomers of 1, 10-bisaboladien-3-ol. Neotropical Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-020-00827-1.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13744-020-00827-1

Interpretive Summary: The rice stalk stink bug is an important pest in Brazil with a high invasive potential to Mexico and USA. Two methods of monitoring are recommended for this pest, sweep net samplings and visual inspection. However, both are labor-intensive and unreliable. In the absence of a simple and efficient monitoring method, heavy insecticide applications became the sole control strategy for rice stalk stink bug. In the current manuscript, we suggest usage of pheromone-bated traps for monitoring the bug. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside of the body of secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual. Field tests conducted in Brazil showed that traps bated with male-produced sex pheromone of the rice stalk stink bug attracted females. The pheromone consists of two structurally-close chemicals, or isomers, and the main isomer was capable of attracting bugs but not the minor one. In addition, a mixture of eight isomers, which is more affordable than individual isomers, was also active in the field. The work is of interest to entomologists and pest management specialists.

Technical Abstract: The rice stalk stink bug, Tibraca limbativentris, is an important rice pest in Brazil causing significant damage to rice plants and consequently yield losses; with a high invasive potential in Mexico and USA. The male-produced sex pheromone of this species was recently identified as a 7:3 mixture of (3S,6S,7R)-1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol (1) and (3R,6S,7R)-1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol (5) (a.k.a zingiberenols). The aim of this study was to evaluate field responses of T. limbativentris females to the racemic mixture and stereoisomers of 1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol, including the male-produced sex pheromone. The results obtained in two rice producing areas of Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina) showed that traps baited with the main component 1 alone, the racemic mixture, and a mixture of 1 and 5 were attractive to females of T. limbativentris. The minor component 5 was unable to attract females when used alone. The results indicate that the sex pheromone of T. limbativentris, as well as, the racemic mixture of 1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol were equally attractive to co-specific females in rice fields, and it could be a tool to incorporate in rice stalk stink bug management programs.