Artificial Pheromone Research Articles

Artificial Pheromone System Using RFID for Navigation of Autonomous Robots

Navigation system based on the animal behavior has received a growing attention in the past few years. The navigation systems using artificial pheromone are still few so far. For this reason, this paper presents our research that aim to implement autonomous navigation with artificial pheromone system. By introducing artificial pheromone system composed of data carriers and autonomous robots, the robotic system creates a potential field to navigate their group. We have developed a pheromone density model to realize the function of pheromones with the help of data carriers. We intend to show the effectiveness of the proposed system by performing simulations and realization using modified mobile robot. The pheromone potential field system can be used for navigation of autonomous robots.

Pheromone based emergent shop floor control system for flexible flow shops

New approaches for the development of shop floor control systems are needed to introduce better response to unanticipated disturbance situations and a better handling of ‘reconfiguration’ in production environments. In this paper, a development approach for agent-based shop floor control systems is presented, that uses co-ordination concepts as observable in insect colonies. In this scheme, agents operate within an information distribution environment, where information is made available in the form of ‘artificial pheromones’. Pheromone concepts from insect colonies and their mapping into a control system architecture are presented, a test bed implementation is discussed.

Synthetic musks in environmental samples: indicator compounds with relevant properties for environmental monitoring.

Synthetic musks (nitro and polycyclic musks) are a group of chemicals offering a wide range of important properties for environmental monitoring programs. They are produced as odorous chemicals and added to a wide variety of perfumes, toiletry products and other household products. As such, they are directly applied in cosmetic products or in washed textiles to the human body in considerable concentrations and accumulate owing to dermal resorption. In addition, synthetic musks also enter the environment via waste water treatment. Several polycyclic musks are chiral. By using chiral gas chromatographic methods, it is possible to determine the enantiomeric ratio and assess their bioavailability. Although an comprehensive quality assurance program must be followed during the analysis of synthetic musks in environmental samples, the determination of these compounds is not very demanding and can be carried out by a standard analytical laboratory specialising in trace analysis of organic pollutants. Owing to the pheromone-like behavior of some synthetic musks, the induction of receptors in olfactory systems should be investigated. For HHCB (1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-4,6,6,7,8,8-hexamethylcyclopenta[g]-2-benzopyran, e.g., Galaxolide), three-dimensional structural similarities with androstenone (5 alpha-androst-16-en-3-one), a mammalian steroid pheromone, were found, which support the hypothesis of HHCB as an artificial pheromone. Owing to their environmental abundance, their relation to human activities and their potential for pheromone-like environmental behavior, synthetic musks are especially valuable as future indicator chemicals for environmental monitoring.

Infestation of maize by Prostephanus truncatus initiated by male‐produced pheromone

AbstractDelta traps baited with maize cobs, which were infested each with one male Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Col.: Bostrichidae), were distributed in southern Benin and collected after one, two, three and four weeks. The numbers of P. truncatus caught during the different trapping periods were not significantly different. Sixty‐four percent of the trapped P. truncatus were females. Females attracted during the one‐week trapping period produced a mean of 6.9 progeny during the seven days. The sex ratio of the progeny was 1:1. Trap catches with the infested cobs were on average 13 times lower than catches with 2 mg of the artificial pheromone. Estimation of P. truncatus densities in a maize store at the beginning of the storage period (based on laboratory data) revealed that small initial numbers of P. truncatus, possibly attracted by a single male, sufficed to initiate high infestation rates later in the storage season.

A portable EAG system for the measurement of pheromone concentrations in the field

A robust and portable apparatus for the measurement of pheromone concentrations under field conditions has been developed. It uses the insect antenna (Lobesia botrana Hb.) itself as a sensitive and specific pheromone detector. Shock-proof contact with the electrodes is maintained by fixing the antenna in a specially-shaped plexiglass holder mounted within a glass tube. This allows measurements to be made while moving the apparatus. Continuous airflow through the tube is generated by a suction pump and the incoming air can be purified by passage through a charcoal filter. This allows to readjust the offset and to calibrate the instrument by the application of pheromone pulses of known concentrations. Removal of the filter allows the direct access of ambient air over the antenna which responds by generating an electro-antennogram (EAG) as a measure of the pheromone concentration. Using the calibration curve, relative pheromone concentrations in ambient air in a vineyard can be determined. Sample measurements from areas treated with artificial pheromone for pest control are presented.

Identification of a new predaceous stink bug pheromone and its attractiveness to the eastern yellowjacket

Males ofPodisus fretus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) release a long-range attractant pheromone containing linalool (49.0%), (E)-2-hexenal (34.5%), benzyl alcohol (12.0%), nerolidol (2.0%),α-terpineol (1.1%), and traces of several other compounds. The eastern yellowjacket,Vespula maculifrons (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), is attracted to artificial pheromones forP. fretus and for the sympatric species,Podisus maculiventris.

Chemical attraction of the eastern yellowjacket,Vespula maculifrons (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Workers and queens of the eastern yellowjacket,Vespula maculifrons, are attracted to the artificial long-range attractant pheromone of the predaceous pentatomid,Podisus maculiventris. A 1∶1 mixture of linalool or α-terpineol and (E)-2-hexenal is as attractive toV. maculifrons workers as the pheromone.

Attractant for a Beneficial Insect and Its Parasitoids: Pheromone of the Predatory Spined Soldier Bug, Podisus maculiventris (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) 1

A mixture of ( E )-2-hexenal, α-terpineol, linalool, terpinen-4-ol, and benzyl alcohol attracts adults of the predaceous spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say). The male-produced pheromone contains (+)-α-terpineol; however, (−)-α-terpineol is not inhibitory to the bug, so artificial pheromone can be made with racemic α-terpineol. Four parasitic species use the pheromone as a kairomone and two of these parasitoids are partially inhibited by (−)-α-terpineol. This is the first artificial long-range pheromone for a member of the true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) and the first such pheromone for a nonsocial predaceous insect.

Field Tests of Artificial and Natural Sex Pheromones for the Codling Moth13

Simple epoxides that were previously reported to elicit excellent response from male Laspeyresia pomonella (L.) in a laboratory bioassay for mating stimulation were completely unattractive in field tests. Also, neither trans -nor cis -9,10-epoxy-l-hexadecanol, each of which elicited responses in the laboratory bioassay at a concentration as low as 10-11g/ml, was attractive in field tests. Further, when either compound was placed in field traps containing virgin female codling moths, they neither increased nor decreased the attractiveness of the females. In contrast, a pure substance, isolated from females by using the laboratory bioassay as the guide, was attractive in field tests. Also, when all fractions isolated from the females were individually tested in the field, only those that elicited a positive response in the laboratory were attractive in the field. Thus, although the laboratory bioassay correctly revealed the presence of a natural sex attractant, it was not a generally reliable indicator of field attractants.

Artificial Diet and Pheromone Studies with Peach Twig Borer12

An artificial diet used for rearing Anarsia lineatella Zeller was a modification of a casein-wheat germ diet developed for the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), by Ignoffo. The diet was modified by adding sorbic acid and wheast, increasing the amount of alphacel and formaldehyde, and deleting aureomycin and ascorbic acid. Developmental times of the various life stages under laboratory-controlled temperatures were: egg 5, larvae 2H.2, pupa 6, and adult 6.9 days. Adults deposited fertile eggs when placed in glass cages with slanted sides and cotton organdy tops. Neonatal larvae accepted the diet and matured to adults when placed in total darkness in a rearing room maintained at 16.1°C for 8 hr and 22.8°C for 16 hr and 60% RH. Two generations were reared in the laboratory. Tests conducted in the field with laboratory-reared females and native males showed that a sex attractant is present.