Abstract
Passiflora maliformis is an introduced plant in Australia but its flowers are known to attract the native Jarvis’s fruit fly, Bactrocera jarvisi (Tryon). The present study identifies and quantifies likely attractant(s) of male B. jarvisi in P. maliformis flowers. The chemical compositions of the inner and outer coronal filaments, anther, stigma, ovary, sepal, and petal of P. maliformis were separately extracted with ethanol and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Polyisoprenoid lipid precursors, fatty acids and their derivatives, and phenylpropanoids were detected in P. maliformis flowers. Phenylpropanoids included raspberry ketone, cuelure, zingerone, and zingerol, although compositions varied markedly amongst the flower parts. P. maliformis flowers were open for less than one day, and the amounts of some of the compounds decreased throughout the day. The attraction of male B. jarvisi to P. maliformis flowers is most readily explained by the presence of zingerone in these flowers.
Highlights
Mature males of many dacine fruit flies (Tephritidae) are attracted to the flowers of certain plants and this attraction is often related to the presence of either methyl eugenol (4-allyl-1,2-dimethoxybenzene) or raspberry ketone (4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone) in these flowers [1,2,3,4,5,6]
The flowers contained terpenoids, C16 and C18 fatty acids and their derivatives, phenylpropanoids, farnesol, farnesyl acetate, and squalene. Fatty acids and their derivatives and farnesol derivatives were most abundant in the coronal filament extracts
Fatty acids and their derivatives are most abundant in the reproductive organs, while terpenoids are most abundant in the petal and sepal
Summary
Mature males of many dacine fruit flies (Tephritidae) are attracted to the flowers of certain plants and this attraction is often related to the presence of either methyl eugenol (4-allyl-1,2-dimethoxybenzene) or raspberry ketone (4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone) in these flowers [1,2,3,4,5,6]. A broad range of Bactrocera species is attracted to methyl eugenol and cuelure (4-(4-acetoxyphenyl)-2-butanone), a more volatile analog of raspberry ketone [1,10,11]. These are the standard lures used in surveillance and monitoring traps and for male annihilation techniques. Male flies that feed on methyl eugenol, raspberry ketone, or cuelure are known to gain substantial increases in sexual performance [13,14,15,16,17]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
