Chemical composition of body extracts from Apriona germari and its function in sexual communication

Abstract

To elucidate the composition of semiochemicals of Apriona germari and its function in sexual communication, GC-MS was used to detect the composition of semiochemicals of the overall body and the end abdominal tissue extracts in A. germari. Y-tube olfactometer was used to determine the olfactory response of adult female and male to the standard compounds of the five main extracts. The contact reaction test with male and female adults was performed to the eluted adults that smeared tandard compounds. The results showed that the main ingredients of semiochemicals were alkanes and alkenes with more than 10 carbons. Concentration of (Z)-9-Tricosene was the highest, followed by heptacosane, nonacosane, nonadecene, octacosane, 9-Hexylheptadecane, aldehyde, and ester. Results of the olfactory reaction showed that nonacosane had a significant attractivity to both male and female adults, and that heptacosane had a significant attractivity only to female adults. Nonadecene had a extremely significant repellent activity to female adults. 1-docosene and (Z)-9-Tricosene had no evident role to the male and female adults. Results of the contact test showed that male adults had the strongest courtship responses to the eluted adults with 1-docosene, heptacosane and nonacosane. Female adults had the strongest courtship responses to the eluted adults with nonacosane. Our results indicated that 1-docosene, heptacosane, and nonacosane were important component of the sex pheromone of A. germari, which played an important role in the sexual communication.