Abstract
Plant volatiles play an important role in the lives of phytophagous insects, by guiding them to oviposition, feeding and mating sites. We tested the effects of different host-plant volatiles on attraction of Lobesia botrana males to the female-produced sex pheromone, in a wind tunnel. Addition of volatile emissions from grapevines or individual plant volatiles to pheromone increased the behavioral responses of L. botrana males over those to pheromone alone. At a low release rate (under-dosed) of pheromone, addition of (E)-β-caryophyllene, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, 1-hexanol, or 1-octen-3-ol increased all behavioral responses, from activation to pheromone source contact, while addition of (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E)-β-farnesene, (Z)-3-hexenol, or methyl salicylate affected only the initial behavioral responses. Dose–response experiments suggested an optimal release ratio of 1:1000 (sex pheromone: host plant volatile). Our results highlight the role of plant volatiles in the sensory ecology of L. botrana.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Swiss Innovation Promotion Agency (CTI Project No. 7273.1 LSPP-LS2) and the National Centre of Competence in Research “Plant Survival” of the Swiss NSF.
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von Arx, M., Schmidt-Büsser, D. & Guerin, P.M. Plant Volatiles Enhance Behavioral Responses of Grapevine Moth Males, Lobesia botrana to Sex Pheromone. J Chem Ecol 38, 222–225 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0068-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0068-z