Abstract
Epinotia aporema (Walsingham) is a Neotropical pest of legumes in southern South America. Its importance has increased during the last decade owing to the significant growth of soybean production in the region. Monitoring of E. aporema is difficult due to the cryptic behavior of the larvae, and hence, chemical control is carried out preventively. We analyzed the female-produced sex pheromone so as to develop monitoring traps and explore pheromone-based control methods. We analyzed pheromone gland extracts by combined chromatographic, spectrometric, and electrophysiological methods. Based on the comparison of retention indices, mass spectra, and electroantennogram (EAD) activity of the insect-produced compounds with those of synthetic standards, we identified two EAD-active compounds, (Z,Z)-7,9-dodecadienol and (Z,Z)-7,9-dodecadienyl acetate (15:1 ratio), as sex pheromone components of E. aporema. We also studied the behavior of males in wind tunnel tests using virgin females and different combinations of synthetic standards (15:1, 1:1, and 1:0 alcohol/acetate) as stimuli. A significantly greater percentage of males reached the chemical source with the 15:1 synthetic mixture than with any of the other treatments, indicating that these two compounds are pheromone components.
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