Olfactory Attraction of the Sugar Cane Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to Host Plant Odors, and Its Aggregation Pheromone

Abstract

This study provides a field test of the behavioral activity of the sugar cane weevil Metamasius hemipterus (L.) pheromone with the odors of its host plants, and describes the development of a laboratory two-cup pitfall olfactometer and a field trap to determine the effectiveness of baits. The aromatic sources were host plant odors: a) pseudostem and rhizome of the Musa sp “apple” banana (AAB) and b) stalks of sugar cane, Saccharum sp. The olfatometric results show that the host plant odors do attract the insects. Sugar cane is more attractive than banana rhizome, and pseudostem is as attractive as sugar cane stalk. Two field traps were tested, one with a lid and the other with a funnel. The capture efficiency of the two traps was evaluated at two heights (0 and 1 meter) and with aggregation pheromone alone, pheromone plus banana pseudostem, pheromone plus sugar cane, pheromone plus banana rhizome, and pheromone plus pineapple as baits. The results indicate that the most effective trap was the lid type placed at a 1 meter, using pheromone plus sugar cane as bait.