Identification of male cabbage looper sex pheromone attractive to females

Abstract

A multicomponent pheromone produced by male cabbage looper moths that is attractive to female moths in a flight tunnel bioassay was isolated and identified. Based on analyses of hairpencil extracts of male cabbage loopers and volatiles emitted by males, the pheromone has been identified as a blend consisting of (S)-(+)-linalool,p-cresol, andm-cresol. The chirality of the major component, (S)-(+)-linalool, is important for behavioral response of females. These pheromonal compounds were also identified as volatiles released by males when males were exposed to the principal pheromone component of female cabbage loopers, (Z)-7-dodecen-1-ol acetate. The amount of male pheromone released was increased significantly when males were exposed to a combination of (Z)-7-dodecen-1-ol acetate and the odor from cabbage. Neither linalool nor the cresols were detected in volatiles from cabbage or from males exposed to cabbage odor.