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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Miami, Florida » Subtropical Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #383876
Research Project: Mitigation of Invasive Pest Threats to U.S. Subtropical Agriculture

Location: Subtropical Horticulture Research

Title: Chemical Composition of Essential Oil From Tetradenia riparia and Its Attractant Activity for Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata

Author
item Tabanca, Nurhayat
item BLYTHE, EUGENE - Auburn University
item DEMIRCI, BETUL - Anadolu Universtiy
item Kendra, Paul

Submitted to: American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/18/2021
Publication Date: 8/22/2021
Citation: Tabanca, N., E.K. Blythe, B. Demirci, and P.E. Kendra. 2021. Chemical Composition of Essential Oil From Tetradenia riparia and Its Attractant Activity for Mediterranean Fruit Fly, Ceratitis capitata. 262nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (Hybrid). 22-26 Aug 2021.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata, is considered one of the most important insect pests threatening agriculture worldwide. Due to concerns over the pest's increasing resistance to insecticides, and public concern over the possible environmental impact of such pesticides, alternative control methods are being sought. Various interactions between plant semiochemicals and insect pheromones play an important role in the development of detection, suppression, and eradication measures for pest control. Plant essential oils have a number of roles in insect pest management, functioning as natural repellents, attractants, and toxicants with reduced impact on the environment. As part of research to identify new attractants for C. capitata, we found that essential oil from aerial parts of the African ginger bush, Tetradenia riparia (Hochst.) Codd (Lamiaceae), attracted equal numbers of males as tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia), a known strong attractant for medfly in short-range attraction bioassays. Gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis indicated that fenchone, delta-cadinene, 14-hydroxy-beta-caryophyllene, and tau-cadinol were the major volatile components in T. riparia oil. Sesquiterpenoids constituted the largest contribution to the oil (57%), with an abundance of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (29.0%) and oxygenated sesquiterpenes (28%), along with oxygenated monoterpenes (26%) and, in small quantities, monoterpene hydrocarbons (3%). This study provides a new attractant for males of C. capitata. Identification of volatile chemicals responsible for this attraction is currently under investigation.