Abstract

Males of Ips spp. produced the pheromones ipsdienol (2-methyl-6-methylene-2,7-octadien-4-ol) and/or ipsenol (2-methyl-6-methylene-7-octen-4-ol) when exposed to vapours of myrcene, a monoterpene present in their hosts ( Pinus spp.). Ips grandicollis and Ips calligraphus require feeding before metabolizing the myrcene, whereas Ips avulsus and Ips paraconfusus produce some pheromone without prior feeding. Topical treatment with ipsdienol results in ipsenol production in both fed and unfed I. paraconfusus males but only in fed I. gradicollis males. I. calligraphus males, which do not produce ipsenol in nature, did not produce any with the topical treatment regardless of prior conditioning. It is concluded that myrcene can serve as a precursor for these terpene alcohols and suggested that ipsenol is produced by the reduction of ipsdienol. Furthermore, the biosynthesis of these pheromones appears to be under some form of control in certain species, with the stimulus for production occurring upon feeding.

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