Practical Synthesis and Field Application of the Synthetic Sex Pheromone of Rice Stem Borer, Chilo suppressalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Bin Liu,Wei-Jynn Chien,Sachin Gupta,Jui-Chang Tseng,Yuan-Xin Zhang,Yu-Jhe Shen,Kun-Jie Syu,Da Wei Lou

doi:10.1155/2020/5632534

Abstract

Rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, is a common and major serious pest of rice, maize, and wheat crops across Asia, Europe, and Oceania countries. Its sex pheromone consists of three analogously compounds, i.e., (Z)-hexadec-11-enal (1), (Z)-octadec-13-enal (2), and (Z)-hexadec-9-enal (3), as long-chain aliphatic internal cis-alkenyl aldehydes. In order to perform an economic and widespread pest control management of rice stem borer, a versatile and efficient synthetic strategy is required. A versatile and efficient synthesis using a common synthetic route for cis-alkenals with high overall yields is described. Commercially available inexpensive aliphatic diols were chosen as starting materials. Two key steps were employed to synthesize the long-chain aliphatic internal cis-alkenes in excellent yields, including the alkylation of terminal alkynes without the utilization of a highly polar aprotic cosolvent and the versatile cis-selective semihydrogenation for the reduction of internal alkynes with excellent stereoselectivity. The results of field tests showed that the synthetic sex pheromone blend was highly effective for the capture of rice stem borer.

Highlights

Rice, maize, and wheat are three of the most important food crops in the world and are the primary staple foods for most of world population [1]
In order to control the population of rice stem borer ecofriendly and to reduce the cost for the manufacture of pheromone-based biocontrol products, the development of the practical synthesis of all three aldehyde components of its sex pheromone is quite essential
In order to test the attractiveness activity of the synthetic sex pheromone blend, synthesized at Chaoyang University of Technology in Taiwan, that can be utilized as the attractant for the male rice stem borer distributed in Jilin, the treatment group A, Trap 1–10, was conducted first from 27th June to 11th July. e total amount of male rice stem borer captured by these traps baited with the synthetic sex pheromone blend reached 407 heads in 15 days, and the results showed that the synthetic pheromone blend exhibited biological activity to attract the male rice stem borer

Summary

Introduction

Maize, and wheat are three of the most important food crops in the world and are the primary staple foods for most of world population [1]. E rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, is a common and major serious pest of rice, maize, and wheat crops that causes extensive crop damage and yield loss and is widely distributed in Asia, Europe, and Oceania countries. Pheromone-based pest control methods exhibit several fascinating advantages; for example, insect sex pheromones are species-specific and effective in very small dosages, do not develop chemical resistance, and are nontoxic and applicable without spreading. In order to control the population of rice stem borer ecofriendly and to reduce the cost for the manufacture of pheromone-based biocontrol products, the development of the practical synthesis of all three aldehyde components of its sex pheromone is quite essential. We report the field application of the synthetic sex pheromone blend of rice stem borer for the evaluation of effective duration and attractiveness of the sex pheromone lure of rice stem borer

Results and Discussion

Field Tests

Conclusion

Synthesis