Refining pheromone lures for the invasive Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) through collaborative trials in the United States and Europe

Authors: Leskey, Tracy; ANDREWS, HEATHER - Oregon State University; BADY, ANGELIKA - Szent Istvan University; BENVENUTO, LUCA - Ersa Regional Agency For Rural Development; BERNARDINELLI, IRIS - Ersa Regional Agency For Rural Development; BLAAUW, BRETT - University Of Georgia; BORTOLOTTI, PIER PAOLO - Ersa Regional Agency For Rural Development; BOSCO, LARA - University Of Torino; HAMILTON, GEORGE - Rutgers University; KUHAR, THOMAS - Virginia Tech; LUDWICK, DALTON - Texas A&M University; MAISTRELLO, LARA - University Of Modena And Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE); MALOSSINI, GIORGIO - Ersa Regional Agency For Rural Development; NANNINI, ROBERTA - Ersa Regional Agency For Rural Development; NIXON, LAURA - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); PASQUALINI, EDISON - University Of Bologna; PRETI, MICHELE - Ersa Regional Agency For Rural Development; SHORT, BRENT - Trece, Inc; SPEARS, LORI - Utah State University; VETEK, GABOR - Szent Istvan University; WIMAN, NIK - Oregon State University

Submitted to: Journal of Economic Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/14/2021
Publication Date: 5/22/2021
Citation: Leskey, T.C., Andrews, H., Bady, A., Benvenuto, L., Bernardinelli, I., Blaauw, B., Bortolotti, P., Bosco, L., Hamilton, G., Kuhar, T., Ludwick, D., Maistrello, L., Malossini, G., Nannini, R., Nixon, L.J., Pasqualini, E., Preti, M., Short, B.D., Spears, L., Vetek, G., Wiman, N. 2021. Refining pheromone lures for the invasive Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) through collaborative trials in the United States and Europe. Journal of Economic Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toab088.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toab088

Interpretive Summary: The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) has invaded much of North America and Europe. To track the spread of this invasive species and to enable growers to make sound pest management decisions, pheromone-baited traps have been developed to detect its presence, relative abundance, and seasonal activity. Here, a group of researchers in North America and Europe conducted a series of coordinated trials aimed at improving the overall sensitivity of pheromone lures used in trapping systems. Results revealed that the main pheromone component must be in sufficient quantities to reliably detect BMSB, but lower loading rates could be mediated to some degree by increasing the amount of the other key component, the pheromone synergist. These results will help improve the quality and longevity of pheromone lures but also enable manufactures to potentially reduce the cost.

Technical Abstract: The brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is native to Asia and has invaded many parts of North America and Europe inflicting serious agricultural damage to specialty and row crops. Tools to monitor the spread of H. halys include traps baited with the two-component aggregation pheromone (PHER), (3S, 6S, 7R, 10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol and (3R, 6S, 7R, 10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol, and pheromone synergist, methyl (2E, 4E, 6Z)-decatrienoate (MDT). Indeed, much of the progress involving applied chemical ecology and development of monitoring tools for H. halys have been through large, cooperative trials. Here, an international team of researchers conducted trials aimed at evaluating prototype commercial lures for H. halys to establish efficacy of: 1) low and high loading rates of PHER and MDT for monitoring tools and/or attract-and-kill tactics; 2) alternative polyethylene lure delivery substrates; and 3) the inclusion of ethyl (2E,4E,6Z)-decatrieonate (EDT), a compound that enhances captures when combined with PHER, in lures. In general, PHER loading rate had a greater impact on overall trap captures compared with loading of MDT, but reductions in PHER loading and accompanying lower trap captures could offset increasing loading of MDT. As MDT is less expensive to produce compared with PHER, these findings enable reduced production costs. Traps baited with lures containing PHER and EDT resulted in increased captures when EDT was loaded at a high rate, but even at high loading rates, captures were not significantly greater than those traps baited with lures containing standard PHER and MDT loadings. Experimental polyethylene vial dispensers did not outperform standard lure dispensers; trap captures were significantly lower in most cases. Ultimately, these results will enable refinement of commercially available lures for H. halys to balance both attraction and sensitivity with production cost.