Abstract
THE TWO COMPOUNDS THAT make up the sex pheromone of female pink hibiscus mealybugs ( Maconellicoccushirsutus ) have been identified and synthesized by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists [ Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , 101 , 9601 (2004)]. Native to the tropics, these sap-sucking insects are recent invaders of Florida and California. They cause $750 million per year in damages as they devour their way through avocados, citrus fruits, grapes, and other crops. The pheromone constituents could be the key to disrupting their mating, allowing this new pest to be managed. Chemist Aijun Zhang, working at an ARS lab in Beltsville, Md., and coworkers have shown that the pheromone consists of ( R )-lavandulyl ( S )-2-methylbutanoate (top) and ( R )-maconelliyl ( S )-2-methylbutanoate. Using a coupled gas chromatography-electroantennographic detection method, they fully characterized the esters. Maconelliol, the alcohol component of the second compound, is a cyclobutanoid monoterpene containing a methylethy...
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