Inhibitory Effects of Individual Components of the Sex Pheromone of a Tortricid Moth on the Sexual Stimulation of Males

Abstract

RECENTLY, cis-9 and cis-11-tetradecen-1-ol acetates, the principal components of the sex pheromone of the smaller tea tortrix, Adoxophyes fasciata, and the summerfruit tortrix, A. orana, were isolated from virgin females, identified and synthesised1–3. Individually, neither component was active even when presented in unusually large amounts. Furthermore, most male moths failed to respond when the two compounds were presented in sequence within a few seconds of each other. In contrast, a mixture of the two compounds at the 10−5 µg level elicited the characteristic sexual response from the male moths. Some studies on sex pheromone perception have revealed that geometrical isomers strongly inhibit the response of male moths to their sex pheromone4–7. These facts prompted us to examine the effects of individual compounds and their geometrical isomers on the sexual behaviour of the smaller tea tortrix. We found that the individual pheromone components, but not geometrical isomers, had an inhibitory effect on male stimulation by the sex pheromone.