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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Columbia, Missouri » Biological Control of Insects Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #408021
Research Project: Biologically-Based Products for Insect Pest Control and Emerging Needs in Agriculture

Location: Biological Control of Insects Research

Title: Identification and field verification of aggregation-sex pheromone from the predaceous bug, Arma chinensis

Author
item WU, HUIHUI - Tianjin Agricultural University
item Coudron, Thomas
item ZHANG, LISHENG - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item Aldrich, Jeffrey
item XU, WEIHONG - Tianjin Agricultural University
item XU, JINGYANG - Tianjin Agricultural University
item WANG, HAIFENG - Tianjin Agricultural University
item ZOU, DEYU - Tianjin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Chemoecology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/19/2019
Publication Date: 11/27/2019
Citation: Wu, H., Coudron, T.A., Zhang, L., Aldrich, J.R., Xu, W., Xu, J., Wang, H., Zou, D. 2019. Identification and field verification of aggregation-sex pheromone from the predaceous bug, Arma chinensis. Chemoecology. 29:235-245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-019-00292-2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00049-019-00292-2

Interpretive Summary: Arma chinensis is a predatory insect species that can effectively suppress a wide range of agricultural and forest insect pests in the in Northeast Asia. Adult A. chinensis males produce an aggregation-sex pheromone from abdominal glands, and artificial aggregation-sex pheromone can attract adults of both sexes. The antennae and proboscises of A. chinensis females and males responded to components from male dorsal abdominal gland extracts which were identified. A field bioassay using trap catches demonstrated that two emitted pheromones were important for catching adults. Aggregation and sex pheromones of this predatory insect could be used to manage biological control agent localization and collections for re-release at locations where they are needed.

Technical Abstract: Arma chinensis is a predaceous insect species that can effectively suppress a wide range of agricultural and forest insect pests in the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Hemiptera in Northeast Asia. Adult A. chinensis males produce an aggregation-sex pheromone from dorsal abdominal glands and artificial aggregation-sex pheromone can attract adults of both sexes. The aggregation-sex pheromone consists of (E)-2-hexenal, (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol. Both antennae and proboscises of A. chinensis females and males responded to components from male dorsal abdominal gland extracts. (E)-2-hexenal and benzaldehyde elicited significantly higher EAG responses than those with (E)-2-hexen-1-ol and benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol elicited the weakest EAG responses, although benzyl alcohol was the most abundant of the four major components in male dorsal abdominal gland extracts. A field bioassay using trap catches demonstrated that (E)-2-hexenal and benzyl alcohol were key components of the pheromone for catching conspecific adults. Single pheromone components were the least attractive to A. chinensis in the field.